


Teacher & the Titan

by thanoswife



Series: Teacher & the Titan (Series) [1]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thanos: Titan Consumed, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anti-Hero, At least up until IW, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Hostage Situation, Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity Stones, Infinity War, Kidnapping, Mild Sexual Content, Minor Character Death, Mostly Canon Compliant, Pre-Infinity War, Rape/Non-con Elements, SHIELD, Stockholm Syndrome, The Black Order - Freeform, all of the tropes tbh, based on the "i want to save the universe" thanos idea, beauty and the beast but in 2017, fake dating trope, i am madly in love with thanos, idk i just love this story don't @ me, rip the collector amirite, tasteful thanos romance, thanos has the reality stone in this, this is def a self insert i'm in love w thanos, this thanos is kinda not a giant douchewad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-04-07 16:03:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 25
Words: 44,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14084526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thanoswife/pseuds/thanoswife
Summary: She's not special. He wants to destroy half of the galaxy. She's kind of a hostage, but she's making it work. Can these two navigate this... whatever it is, without killing each other. (Or just her, he's kind of a god).





	1. Lost

She wasn’t super, not by any definition of the word.

Sure, if you asked her mom, she would certainly gush about the “enormous difference she made in the world”, or how “lives are brighter because she was in it.” But that was just obligatory mom-talk.

But she wasn’t super, especially not in a world where ripped men carried tiny shields, teenagers could throw cars with their minds, and convicts shrunk to the size of a bug.

Well, maybe not the bug guy, he hadn’t been seen in forever. Perhaps someone had gotten him.

But this world, this world had _actual_ superheroes. These men and the women wores tights and had super powers and fought aliens.

All she did was not kill 18 five year olds each day.

She graduated from a local college at 22, landed her first teaching gig a month after graduation, and had stayed at the small, local school ever since. Shiloh, Tennessee wasn’t very exciting, but it was home.

Ellie Jetsper had started at the national park in Shiloh, but the day had been so nice, and her playlist had been so jamming, that she had probably wandered further away from her car than she had intended. Her class was learning about birds, and the life cycle that a bird went through, so she came to the park scouring for pieces of egg shells. She had _tried_ to just show her students an egg from Walmart, but that wasn’t enough for them. Their minds were too inquisitive, too active to accept that a Walmart egg was part of a bird’s life cycle.

So she hunted, humming softly along to the song that played from her phone, just some old school Katy Perry song. She had long since wandered off of the trail, her hiking boots covered in mud and muck.

Ellie paused to take a swig of water when something caught her eye. It almost seemed to be a reflection, but that couldn’t have been right. She was at least 3 miles off of any man-made trail, and if it was a creek, the reflection shouldn’t have been just above eye level. She shook her head, it was probably just a trick of the light. The sun _was_ going to start setting soon, it wasn’t anything important. Besides, it was getting late and she _still_ hadn’t found any egg remains to show her class.

So she trekked onward, further away from her car and deeper into woods. She brushed aside some overgrowth, and found herself in the middle of… a lawn?

No, that couldn’t be right.

But it was. A decrepit house stood in front of her. It looked so out of place, but also like it had always belonged in this spot. Ellie had hiked here dozens of times before, but she’d never seen this house. This place seemed like it had never been touched by a human. Her sense of excitement overtook her, and she doubled her pace, heading straight for the oversized door. On a whim, she tried the handle. If this place really was untouched and uninhabited, there was no reason for it to be locked, right?

Surprisingly, the door opened easily, giving way to a… rustic looking interior. If the outside was serene and peaceful, the inside was the exact opposite. Broken glass was scattered all around the floor, but all the windows were in place. The wooden floors were covered in mud, dirt, and blood? That certainly looked like blood.

Where the hell was she?

Ellie knew a horror movie scene when she saw one, she quickly turned to leave but the door slammed shut, eliciting a scream from the back of her throat. She spun on her heels, in search of another exit. The setting sun cast dark shadows through the windows, making everything seem twelve times more ominous than it was forty eight seconds ago.

“Hello?” She called out into the empty house, knowing good and well that anyone that might be hidden inside this house, would not be so easily swayed by a school teacher’s pleas. “I didn’t mean… I’m sorry for barging in… I’m leaving!” She said, less confident than she sounded.

“How did you find this place?” A voice called out, deep and booming. Ellie couldn’t pin down the location of the sound. And if she was being honest - it sounded like it had come from… everywhere. “How did you _find this place_?” The voice repeated, with a rising anger.

“I was… I was hiking. Looking for bird eggs. I was hiking.” Ellie sputtered, a cold chill wracking through her body. “I’ll leave. I’m leaving.” She went to open the door and run, but the door wouldn’t budge. A dark shadow was cast on the door, a _large_ , dark shadow. She heard footsteps behind her, someone was approaching.

“Look at me.” The voice said, right behind her now. She was physically shaking now. Her entire body frozen in place. She couldn’t comply to the voice’s commands. “ _Look at me_ , or I will make you look at me.”

_Move! Move!_

She told her feet, she tried to will herself to follow the voice’s directions. _MOVE!_ She began to turn, slowly. Painfully slow. She kept her eyes on the ground, trying desperately to not meet the voice’s gaze, or anger it any further. But as she finished facing the voice, she couldn’t keep her gaze downward.

He was large, unbelievably large. He had to stand over 7 feet tall, he had to. She had never seen a man of this size. But he wasn’t just a partial giant, he wasn’t _human_. His arms were the size of basketballs. Each. Individually. He could probably crush her skull using just his arms alone. But even that wasn’t the part about him that stood out the most. His skin was purple.

Ellie blinked a few times, convinced that her sheer terror had caused her to see something that wasn’t there. But when she opened her eyes, he was still standing in front of her. Seven feet tall, more ripped than The Rock, and purple.

“Who are you?” He bellowed, filling the entryway with the sound.

“I’m Ellie. Ellie Jetsper. I’m a kinder-”

“Silence!” He shouted, turning his back to her. “You’re nothing special.” He laughed, it wasn’t a joyful sound. The noise sent a shiver down Ellie’s spine. “Do you know who I am?” She shook her head, afraid that if she spoke again, she would anger him even more.

“I am the most powerful being in the universe. I was created to bring balance to the galaxy. And that starts here. Soon.”

Ellie stood silently, unwilling to speak another word.

“I am Thanos. The Mad Titan. And you will not leave this house.” He, Thanos, raised his hand, and she flinched, afraid she was about to be struck. But he did not hit her, instead, she noticed he was wearing a rather intricate golden glove of sorts. He clutched his fingers into a fist, a metallicy echo reverberated through the house, followed by the sound of an electronic pinging.

The door was gone. Just… gone. It had vanished into thin air. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, her voice had vanished.

“I might have some use for you, yet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all don't come at me if this is the weirdest thing you've ever read. i love thanos so much and this is my way of putting it into words so like. don't hate on me. the heart wants what the heart wants. and my heart wants thanos


	2. Beginnings

There was no way that she lived through this. There was not a single scenario that she made it out of this wooded prison home, and back to her job, her cat, her life - alive. So, if what she did next was risky, it was only because she wasn’t going to go down without a fight. This was her hail mary.

“I have to go to work.” She said quietly, staring directly at her hands. She was seated in what she guessed would have been the living room, had this been a normal cottage and not some crazy alien’s summer get away house. She had been sitting there for hours, it felt like. Neither of them speaking.

“What?” He, Thanos, replied, he back to her. His voice was even, and not nearly as angry as she expected it to be.

“I have to go back to work. I’m a teacher. I can’t just _not be there_.” She paused, and in that time, he laughed at her. That same dark, chilling laugh. “I’m serious.” Ellie continued, her voice a little stronger now. “My coworkers, they knew what I was doing. They knew I was out here searching for eggs for my class. They’ll know exactly where to start looking for me if I’m not at work.” She stopped, swallowing hard. She felt as though her heart could beat out of her chest.

“I can just move the house.” He said, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“If you’re going to kill me. Just do it.” Ellie said finally, standing up. “But - if you’re going to keep me alive for whatever plan you have concocted… I have to go back to work.”

“And why should I adhere to your wishes, _human_?”

“Because… I asked nicely?” She huffed, defeated. It was worth a shot, she had literally nothing left to lose.

“Fine.” He said after a long silence. “But if we’re going to do this. We do it my way.” He told her through gritted teeth. She was dumbstruck. She knew it was the longest of long shots, but she never expected him to actually agree to her.

He didn’t like that this was happening, Ellie could tell that he would rather just kill everyone she knew and be done with it. But he hadn’t done that yet, and he hadn’t killed her either. For reasons she still hadn’t figured out.

Thanos slid the golden gauntlet over his fingers once again, clutching his hand into a fist. Ellie still didn’t quite understand how this magical glove worked, but she knew that it was a force to be reckoned with, and could probably decimate the world without the bat of an eye.

So why this all-powerful being used it to change his appearance, she couldn’t even begin to understand. Something about him was different this morning. He was still definitely a giant, scary, purple, alien probably-murderer, but she was hanging on to the fact that he hadn’t killed her.

Yet.

After a lackluster transformation took place, ending with a sort of fizzling sound, he stood before her. But he didn’t stand as an almost-seven-foot extraterrestrial being, but as a man.

A human man.

Ellie cast her gaze to the ground, avoiding his eye contact at all cost. He was still tall, but it was more natural now. Where the lines on his chin were, now sat a brown scruff. His head was still void of hair, but the bare look of his skin was more pleasant on the eyes. At least it was a _human_ color now.

“If I have to be seen in public, don’t you think it’s best if I don’t give myself away before I’ve completed my mission?” He asked, offering her an explanation that she hadn’t asked for. She nodded, afraid that her voice would betray her if she tried to speak

The next part happened in such a blur, that Ellie wasn’t even sure she remembered it at all. He balled his hand into a fist once, they were at her car. Severely disoriented, she stumbled into the driver’s seat and cranked the engine. ABBA’s _Mamma Mia_ came from the car stereo for a millisecond, before he clutched his fist again, and they were outside the school. Ellie gasped, both hands gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles. She drew in a long breath, hoping that whatever had just happened, was finally over.

Slowly, she turned off the engine and opened her door. Humanized Thanos stood at the front of the car, exactly where he was in the forest. But the golden glove wasn’t a glove anymore. At least, not a medieval gauntlet. It was just a normal, brown, “it’s starting to get a little chilly here” glove.

“What… What’s the plan?” She asked, relying on the car frame to keep her standing. She was still a bit woozy from the major reality shift she had just experienced.

“The plan is me making sure that you don’t squeal. If you tell anyone what you know or what you have seen, there will be hell to pay.”

“You’re just going to follow me around the school all day? They’ll call the cops.”

He glowered at her, “I don’t have to be with you, to keep an eye on you.” He said, stepping closer to her. He pass the once-gauntlet glove over her wrist, revealing a bracelet with a blue hue to it. “I can hear everything you say and see everything you do, right from this. Don’t test it. Don’t test _me_.” He was closer to her than he had been before, and she was, in a word, terrified. “If you say anything, if you _breathe_ a word about what you have seen, I will flatten the entire school before you even have the chance to blink.”

It was like he had hit her to her core, he had found the one thing, the button she had that caused her to snap. She could take a beating, she could lose everything she had. Hell, he could even kill her, but no one, _no one_ , laid a hand on her students.

Her hand flew up out of nowhere, striking him square on the cheek.

And he _laughed_.

Pain rippled up from her fingers and into her arm. Ellie clutched her hand to her chest, swearing quietly under her breath. Thanos continued to laugh, but this laugh wasn’t like the one she had heard before. This laugh wasn’t ominous or foreboding. It was a genuine, gut laugh.

“Perhaps we shouldn’t do that again, hmm?” He said, a hint of mirth in his voice.

“Don’t… don’t hurt them. I won’t say anything. Just don’t hurt them.” She said, clenching her jaw.

“Now then, are we ready?” He asked, gesturing towards the school.

“I mean, not really.” Ellie motioned vaguely at her outfit. She was still caked in mud from yesterday’s hike. Her clothes were meant for outdoorsy adventures, they were ratty and completely unprofessional. “I can’t wear this into my place of work.”

She could have sworn that she had heard the Titan groan, or perhaps grumble something under his breath, before closing his gloved hand again.

This time, whatever he had done, didn’t take her brain on a reality vortex roller coaster, it simply replaced her grubby clothing with a dark golden maxi dress. On the bottom of the dress there were seemed to be several, multi-colored squares. On closer inspection, Ellie found that they were not dissimilar to the gems on the gauntlet he owned.

“Seriously?” She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

He didn’t reply, as they were cut off by a voice shouting in their general direction.

“Ellie! Ellie!” The voice called, making its way over to where the two of them stood. “Did you find the bird eggs you were looking for? I was hoping I could borrow them to show my class when you were all finished. I tried to show them store bought eggs but -” The woman stopped mid sentence, staring directly at Thanos. “El, who is _this_?” She asked, wiggling her eyebrows in a ridiculous fashion.

“Jayden, this is… Th - “ Thanos shot her a deadly look. “Jason? This is Jason.” He looked even more upset than he had before. Ellie had to physically bite her tongue to keep from bursting out laughing. He was _furious_. “Jason, this is Jayden! She teaches across the hall from me.” She smiled, reaching for his arm. She leaned into him, smiling broadly at her colleague. “Well babe, I guess I’d better go, duty calls!” She stretched up on her tiptoes, forcing herself to kiss him on the cheek.

“This is how you don’t get caught, but _my_ way.” She whispered quickly, before breaking away. “I’ll see you after work!” She called back after him, leaving him staring incredulously after her.

She grinned, having finally had the last word.

But she was sure he would be waiting for her when she left the building, her wrist-monitor device clinking as she walked.

She was quite certain this was only the beginning of something much, _much_ more difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if u've read this far, know that i love you dearly. (don't judge me you know what you were getting into) also leave me your feedback because 56 of you have read this and i love you all dearly.


	3. Caught?

“Is Jason coming this weekend?”

“Who? What?” Ellie asked, torn from her thoughts as Jayden popped in her room.

“...Jason? Your hot new boy toy? The fall festival is this weekend, is he coming with you?”

“Oh…” She trailed. “No, no probably not. He’s not that kind of guy. He’d think it was super lame anyways.”

“It _is_ super lame, El. But boyfriends and husbands come and help out, it’s the unofficial rules.”

Ellie shrugged, going about her morning routine. Her day was, honestly, very normal. Her children weren’t misbehaving, her schedule was lining up pretty well. Her work day had run very smooth.

Except, you know, for the tracking beacon on her wrist that was was reminded of each time she moved.

Ellie packed her bag up and grabbed her car keys, uncertain of what would be waiting for her when she got to her car. Much to her delight though, he wasn’t there.

 _Maybe I imagined the whole thing_ , she thought as she tossed her purse into the passenger seat. ABBA’s _Mamma Mia_ began playing once more when she cranked her car up.

“What the hell happened in the last 24 hours?” She asked herself as she pulled away from the school. She was kidnapped, spent the night in a rotting cottage in the middle of a forest. Watched a giant purple man change into a human man, and then _teleport_ them to her school. And now it was all? Gone? Her whole life had flipped upside down, just for it to turn right around again?

She had to get out of town, she decided. She would go visit her grandparents in Virginia. She’d call out sick and spend some time away from this place. That made the most sense to her.

Ellie rushed up the stairs to her apartment, flinging the door open. She wasn’t sure why, but a sense of urgency overtook her when she parked her car. She dug her suitcase out of her closet, and started throwing clothes into it. Dresses? Sure, why not? Casual clothes? Absolutely, who knew how long she would be gone. Athletic wear? I mean, only if she had to.

“Where are you going?” A voice asked out of nowhere. _His_ voice.

She screamed, startled by the sudden intrusion in her panicked packing. “I… uh… was getting stuff to bring back to the cottage?” She said, her words sounding more like a question than a statement.

“Sure” he said, grasping her shoulder tightly. Ellie closed her eyes, preparing for what was about to happen this time.

The reality jump was still… difficult to cope with. But knowing that it was coming made it a hell of a lot easier to wrap her head around. Upon entering the house, Ellie found that there was a bed where the ratty couch used to sit. “What’s this?”

“If you’re staying here…”

“Staying.” Ellie said, making a face at the use of such a voluntary way of putting it.

“If you’re to stay here,” Thanos started again, beginning to sound frustrated, “I figured you could use a place to sleep.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Goodnight.”

“Actually!” Ellie called after him, grimacing (a playful attempt, at least). “So there’s a festival at my school this weekend.”

“No.” He answered, without even turning around.

“See, normally I wouldn’t even press it except now that you met my coworker, Jayden, and she’s asking if you’re coming and she’s telling a bunch of other coworkers about you and it would be weird if you didn’t and we’re stuck in this thing together now and-”

“If I say yes, will you stop talking?”

“Absolutely, yes.”

He groaned loudly, rubbing his forehead. “Fine.”

 

The festival arrived quicker than she expected it to, but maybe that’s what happens when you live with a purple alien that may, or may not, have control over the space-time continuum. Ellie smoothed the front of her dress, waiting anxiously for Thanos to be ready.

“Humans bother themselves too much with fashion and clothing. Armor is simpler and only has one function: protection.” He was fiddling angrily with a button on the shirt he had conjured up for himself.

“You look fine, let’s go.” She said, holding her hand out and closing her eyes. She was used to it now. Or, well… as used to it as she could be. He held onto her arm, hand, shoulder, and teleported them someplace. All-in-all, it wasn’t something she would ever get used to, but as least she knew what to expect now.

The festival wasn’t necessarily a calm place to be, but it was fun. At least, Ellie was having fun. She was certain that Thanos was _not_ enjoying himself. He was half-assing every conversation they found themselves in, and refusing to partake in any of the activities that were set up for the day.

At one point, she turned to ask him a question, and saw that he looked… panicked. That was a look that she hadn’t seen from him before. “Is everything alright?”

Thanos grabbed her and tore her away so quickly, she was certain she would get whiplash from it. “Who did you tell?” He asked, seething. He was holding tightly onto her arm. She was backed up against an outside wall of the school, mostly hidden from view.

“I… What? What are you talking about?”

“There’s an agent here. Out there, she’s talking into an earpiece and looking for suspicious activity. _Who did you tell_?” He was so close to her, his face inches from hers. But something was different than the first time she had been this close to him. He was at her fall festival, at her school. He could have killed her days ago but she was still here. He wasn’t going to hurt her.

“I haven’t told anyone.” She whispered harshly. “You’ve been listening to my every word and watching my every motion.” Ellie reminded him, jingling the bracelet she still wore on her arm.

“Do you honestly think I’ve listened to you each day? Teaching children about _numbers_ and _writing_? I am a god. I don’t have time -”

“Shh!” Ellie said, glancing over to where the festival was still being held. A woman she had never seen before was walking in their direction. Quickly.

“How _dare_ you tell me -”

She had no other choice. If he was caught on this day, in this place, she would go down with him, and she would never survive in an alien prison. Or any kind of prison for that matter. Or if she was released, she would certainly never be allowed to teach again. So she did the only thing that would keep him from talking any longer.

She kissed him.

Ellie stretched up on her toes to press her lips against his, using her free hand to cup the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Thanos didn’t fight her, but he also sort of just… froze.

“Is everything alright back here?” The unfamiliar woman called, continuing to walk closer to them.

Ellie broke the half-kiss, leaning her head against Thanos’ chest. “Hmmm” She hummed softly. “We’re good, right?” She asked, glancing up at her fake boyfriend. He nodded, not offering any more of an answer.

“Alright… just checking. I thought I saw something… I guess I was wrong.” The woman turned on her heels to leave.

“What was that?” Thanos asked, finally.

“She’s still watching us, darling.” Ellie said softly, with a coy smile, dragging a finger along his arm. She wasn’t sure how long she could keep this act up.

Thanos grumbled something under his breath, before pulling her in for another kiss. This kiss, however, was much different. He stepped closer to her, his body pressed flush against Ellie, and Ellie pressed against the wall. He moved his hands to either side of her face, holding her close to him. Her arms snaked back up around his neck, holding the two of them in place.

It felt like time and space had stopped. (And to be honest, she wasn’t sure what his magical glove could do, or if it had the power to do that, anyways). But the way his lips moved, the way his body felt pressed against hers, it felt like it was out of a dramatic romance movie.

That was until, he broke the kiss, putting space between them once more. “There were other ways we could have handled that.” He said curtly, heading back out into the festival.

“Excuse me for not being an alien god who knows just what to do in _every situation_.” Ellie huffed, following behind him. “I did the best I could. I’m a _kindergarten_ teacher. I’m not trained for anything like this. I took two years of acting in college, not classes on how to live a double life.” She had to pick up her pace to catch up with him. “Where are you even going? We need to leave. What if she talks to us again?”

“Well, I’m sure you can just kiss me, that seemed to work _so well_ for you the last time.”

“I didn’t see you offering up any sort of plan. Some things you can just poof away from, you know that, right?”

“Shut up.” He said, putting an arm out to stop her. “I need to find out what she’s looking for. _We_ need to find out what she’s looking for.”

“I’m not a spy, I’m a teacher, remember?”

“You don’t have to be a spy, you have to be able to stand close to her and listen to what she’s saying. Now, be quiet.”

Ellie was scared, if she had said she was anything other than that, it would have been a lie. This wasn’t what she had ever wanted from her life. Following in the stride of an alien, possibly a murderer. She reached for his hand, holding tightly. She wasn’t even sure which direction was up anymore.

Would he protect her?

Should she tell the agent what was going on?

Would he _kill her_?

So many thoughts rushed through her mind as she stood next to him, gripping onto his hand for dear life. She didn’t know what her choices were, of if she even had any choices. It was getting harder for her to breathe, and a dull pain arose in her chest.

“J-Jason?” She said, feeling a little lightheaded.

“We need to leave.” He replied, turning quickly for the exit. “ _Now.”_

Her entire body ached, her breath coming in even shorter bursts now. “I need to sit down.” She said, letting go on his hand. Thanos stopped dead in his tracks, turning around to look at her. Ellie was crouching down on the ground, her hands in her hair, and tears on the verge of falling.

“You’re scared.” He observed, getting on her level. He was quiet for several moments. “I’m scared too. But we have to move, now. Or this whole building is in danger.” He offered a hand out to her, helping her stand. She wiped the tears from her eyes, drawing in a shaky breath.

“Where are we going?”

“To the car.”

“Okay… and then where?”

“Wherever you can drive us.”

“I… What?”

“Whatever is left of SHIELD…  Their agents are tracking the reality shifts. We - I can’t use the gauntlet anymore. At least not to move us. I don’t know what else they can track. We have to hide somewhere. Somewhere in plain sight, and we need to do it fast.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> are y'all ready for domestic thanos???
> 
> i cant heaR YOU!!!!
> 
> well i sure as heCK AM. i hope u like it pls tell me if u like it


	4. Domestic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo i'm sorry that this took forever to get up i've had a ton of school work but here is the next chapter. this isnt as much plot as i was hoping for in this chapter, but it got to be a little long and i didn't want it to feel forced. thanks for reading i love u

“My apartment.” Ellie said finally, after several long moments of silence. “We can go to my apartment. We can stay there. It will be normal, a totally regular thing that people do, move in together. It won’t send up any red flags at all probably.”

“I didn’t come to Earth to live a domestic life in an apartment complex with a school teacher.” Thanos growled.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have kidnapped a school teacher, then.” Ellie snapped back, hands gripping her steering wheel tight. “Do you have any better options?”

He didn’t answer, so Ellie took that as a no, pulling to her apartment parking lot.

They exchanged no words between the time she parked, and the time they got to her apartment. When Ellie opened the door, she was greeted by a loud mewling, and a small cat attaching the strings on her shoes. She tossed her bag aside, picking up the feline. “Hey baby. Hello my sweet Jazzy. I missed you.” She cooed in a typical “i love my pet very much” voice, doting. The cat licked her face. Ellie had forgotten that it had been over a week since she had last been home.

Thanos slammed the door behind him, grumbling the entire way. “If you’re going to be grumpy.” Ellie said, setting Jazzy back down on the ground. “You can find somewhere else to hide from the strategic hazard intervention espionage logistics directorate… division. Or something. I don’t know. You can stay somewhere else.”

Thanos adjusted his shirt, revealing a golden-gauntlet dog tag, he ripped it off, tossing it onto the counter in Ellie’s kitchen. As he did so, the transformation began. He went from six feet tall, to almost seven. His skin morphed back into the crackly purple color, and his face went from soft and human, back to the… kind of grotesque alien face.

“And _that’s_ not going to attract SHIELD’s attention?” Ellie asked, scrunching up her nose in confusion.

“They’ve got shape-shifters on their own damn team, I think this will slip right by them. Besides, human skin is fragile and disgusting. I couldn’t live like that.”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Make yourself at home, I guess. I’m going to take a shower. Don’t answer the door.”

“I’m not a fool.” He snapped back, pacing the small living room.

Ellie didn’t answer, shutting herself in her room. She grabbed some pajamas from her dresser, taking a moment to revel in the fact that she was home, in her apartment. Sort of safe, save for the giant purple alien in her living room.

But what could she do about that.

She turned the water a little hotter than normal, and she had every intention of taking a longer-than-normal shower. She deserved it, after all.

The water stung her skin, but in such a good way. It wasn’t a relaxing shower, however. So many thoughts raced through her mind. Why had she brought him here?

Why hadn’t he killed her?

Would he make good on his deal, and truly hurt the people she loved if she snitched?

She didn’t want to risk it, she never wanted to put her class in danger, it was the sacred oath that she had made. To herself.

It wasn’t a real oath.

But when she noticed the world around her going to shit, fast, she knew that she would be one of those teachers that would use herself as a shield to keep her students safe.

This wasn’t any different, was it?

Why hadn’t she alerted that agent at the festival to what was going on? Surely she could have helped her, right?

Or maybe Thanos would have heard her, and decimated the entire school in front of her eyes.

There were too many variables in play. She didn’t know what she was doing anymore. Was she aiding and abetting an evil super villain? Was she his official accomplice?

Was she a hostage?

Ellie groaned, reluctantly turning the shower off. This was too much. She was a relatively good person, she definitely didn’t deserve this.

Kidnapped by some sort of alien.

Held hostage by said alien.

Forced to _kiss_ that alien to keep from blowing her cover.

A cover that she had to use… because she was kidnapped by an alien.

This was exactly the kind of situation where it seemed totally normal and probably even necessary to cry. A lot. But Ellie couldn’t even force herself to do that. It was like she was numb. She had been living in a forest cottage with his man, this creature, for over a week. She ran a towel through her dark locks, praying that maybe this was all a bad dream, and she would wake up from it soon.

But of course, of _course_ , something couldn’t go smoothly for once. A loud knock echoed through the small apartment. Ellie rushed to wrap the towel around herself, knowing exactly who it was at the door.

She hurried to the door, ignoring the large alien that was now sitting on her couch. Cracking the door a bit, she smiled “Hey mom.”

“Hey El!” The older woman responded, trying to push the door open.

“Oh, oh sorry mom. I’m… I’m not decent.” She poked her head around the door, in an attempt to show her mom that she had just gotten out of the shower.

“Not decent, eh?” Her mom said, wiggling her eyebrows in a ridiculous fashion. “You don’t have a gentleman caller here, do you?”

“No mom, god. No.”

“So let me in! It’s Saturday night, our dinner?”

“Mom, I completely forgot, I’m so sorry. I had the fall festival at the school today and it must have slipped my mind.”

“Well that’s alright, we can order in Chinese!” She attempted to push the door open again, smirking knowingly at her daughter. “Oh Ellie… you wouldn’t lie to your own mother, would you?”

“No mom, of course not.” Ellie said through gritted teeth.

Then, like a scene out of terrible romantic comedy, a voice called from inside the apartment. “Ellie…” His voice was low, almost resembling a growl.

“Oh my…” Her mom said, grinning from ear to ear. “You really _aren’t_ decent, are you”

“Mom, oh my god.” Elle could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. This couldn’t have been going any worse if she had planned it.

“Ellie’s friend, would you like to join us for dinner tomorrow night?” Her mom called into the apartment before Ellie could stop her.

“No, no he wouldn’t. I’m sure he’s busy.”

“I’m not busy.” Thanos called from inside the apartment. Ellie could have sworn she could have _heard_ the smirk that he was making.

“It’s a big family date!” Her mom clapped her hands excitedly. “I can’t wait to tell your father!”

Ellie closed the door, she couldn’t take it anymore. “Love you mom.” She grumbled, just loud enough that her mom could probably hear.

“What the hell, man?” She said, spinning on her heels and walking into her living room. “You’re a giant purple alien. You can’t meet my parents. You can’t go to dinner with them. Aren’t you here to kill everyone? What did you even need from me, anyways. What was _so important_ to you?”

Once she stopped ranting, and actually looked at him, she could see the issue. Jazzy had perched herself on his shoulder, and had been treating his ear to a very kind… tongue bath. “ _She’s_ a cat, and she likes you.” Ellie said, rolling her eyes. But he didn’t seem to be too worried about the cat anymore. His eyes were on her. “I don’t know why…” She trailed off, shifting her weight uncomfortably. His gaze… it almost appeared… hungry. The way that he was looking at her, it almost seemed primal.

It was a look that was unmistakable, no matter what species he might be.

“If you’re done gawking at my fragile, _disgusting,_ human body, I’m going to go change.”

“I don’t think I used the word disgusting.” Thanos replied smoothly, his gaze never leaving hers.

“You did.”

“Hm.” Was all he offered, following her with his eyes as she left the room.

Ellie shut the door behind her, propping herself against it as she did so. This evening could not have gone any worse if SHIELD themselves had bombed her building and killed them all. At least then she wouldn’t have to deal with her mom and her brand new alien boyfriend.

But there was nothing she could do about that at 7:42pm. She would have to wait until tomorrow to solve both of those issues. So she decided she would enjoy her first evening back inside her own apartment, even with a purple man right outside her bedroom door.

Ellie changed into her pajamas, she was really home, back where she belonged. With her cat, her shoes, her bed, her clothes, her shower. No more having to deal with whatever he snapped up for her, or allowed her to have.

Taking a deep breath, she left her room. She started to stay something, but stopped herself when she heard Thanos talking quietly to… Jazzy?

She didn’t understand the language, so it must have been his native tongue, but the way he spoke sounded so soft, so gentle and kind? And Jazzy was mewling right back at him. It was like the two were having their own tiny conversation. Thanos scratched Jazzy behind the ears, eliciting a purr loud enough that Ellie could hear it from where she stood.

“She likes you.” She said again, smiling. “She’s a pretty picky cat, too. She doesn’t like everyone.” She perched herself on the armrest of the couch, furthest away from where he sat with her cat. “This couch pulls out to a bed.” She said. “I’ve got some extra sheets somewhere. I figured you can sleep here?”

“Thank you.” He replied, not taking his attention off of the cat in his lap.

“I guess tomorrow we can go shopping for some clothes for you. You can’t exactly wear that to meet my parents.” She said, her voice falling flat.

He grinned, “If this is our cover, we might as well play it up, right?”

“ _Your_ cover.” She corrected. “This is just my life, Thanos.”

Upon hearing his name, he looked at her. It must have been the first time she had actually verbalized his name. His _real_ name. She had been too afraid to say it before, like saying it would make this real.

It didn’t get more real than him sleeping on her pull-out couch and meeting her parents.

The evening went by slowly, but pretty calmly, all things considering. Ellie was finally back with her laptop and wifi, so she was able to work on her lesson plans for the first time in what felt like forever. Thanos spent most of the night talking quietly to the cat, which, once she got over the initial shock that he wasn’t speaking English, was rather endearing.

Bedtime came soon enough, and she shut her laptop. “Goodnight, I guess.” She said, walking over to where he sat.

Thanos stiffened as she got closer. She scooped Jazzy up from his lap. “Sorry I…” Ellie started, wondering why she was about to explain herself to him. “I don’t sleep well without her and…” _You’ve had me locked up in your cabin and without her for days._

“I understand.” He said, avoiding her gaze. “Goodnight.”

She shut her door behind her, putting the cat down on the ground. Ellie ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head. “What have I gotten myself into?”


	5. Terrors

It was dark, everything around her was dark. She tried to move, but her body wouldn’t respond. She opened her mouth to scream, but no noise came out. She tried willing her hands to move, to reach out and to touch something, to ground herself. But she was frozen. A statue. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. Couldn’t breathe.

_Help!_

She thought, trying once more to force her voice to sound. But there was nothing. Nothing but stillness, silence, darkness. It was suffocating. Ellie couldn’t catch her breath, she felt faint.

_Help…_

She thought again, but to no avail. Whatever this was, wherever she was.

She was going to die here.

“Ellie!” A voice called in the distance, strong and deep. It was so far away. Could she run to it? Would it save her from the crushing darkness that surrounded her?

_I’m here!_

She tried again, this time, feeling her arms and legs start to move. She was alive. She would make it. She opened her mouth once more, and screamed.

“Hey, hey hey hey!” The voice said, louder now. She felt a touch on her arms, skin. Someone was here. Someone would save her.

_I’m alright!_

She couldn’t make her voice form coherent words to alert this being that she was going to make it. All she could do was scream.

The voice continued to speak to her, softly, kindly. She wanted to be with this voice. This anchor that told her she might make it.

The pressure on her arms was stronger now, perhaps she was being shaken? She wanted to be free of this darkness.

Just like that, her shackles were released and her eyes shot open. She sat up in a panic, pushing her covers off of herself, her heart racing.

Two large hands steadied her, keeping her from flinging herself off of her bed. “You’re okay, you’re okay.”

Her head snapped to the sound, _the voice_. “Thanos.” She whispered, breathlessly.

“You’re awake now.” He said softly, his voice was _kind_? She looked over at him, wearing only a pair of ill fitting sweatpant, he was half on her bed, half off. “Are you okay?” He asked, his hands still holding her upright.

Ellie nodded, afraid that if she opened her mouth to speak, nothing but a scream would come out. Gently, she placed her hand on his wrists, pushing them away.

“I have them too, sometimes.” He said quietly, standing. “The dreams you can’t run away from.”

Ellie scooted over to one side of the bed, patting her empty spot next to her gently. Truth be told, she didn’t quite want to be alone right now. Granted, she wasn’t sure she necessarily wanted to be with _him_ , but he was all she had.

He smiled, setting himself down next to her. They sat there in silence for several moments. Thanos leaning against her headrest, Ellie sitting cross-legged facing him.

“Titans, my people, we arent - _they_ aren’t… well” He gestured to himself.

“Giant?” Ellie asked, half smiling.

“No, we are. They look more… like you. And less… like me” He moved his hand, almost as if he was going to touch her, but dropped it back by his side. “My mother she…” His voice trailed off for a moment. “She was less than happy to see me. When I was born… I was her first son. I was an abomination.”

Ellie didn’t know what to say. Her instincts told her to comfort him as he was sharing this story but their past history told her that he did not deserve comfort.

“She tried to kill me. I was just a babe and… I remember it so clearly. Tried to slit my throat with the doctor’s scalpel.”

“Oh my god.” Ellie muttered, horrified. Without thinking, she placed her hand gently on the side of his arm, her other hand covering her mouth.

“It was… a very long time ago. The memory does not pain me the way that it used to. The nightmares, however, they still haunt me. I dream often of that night.” He smiled, a pained sort of smile. “Would you like to talk about your night terror?”

Ellie shook her head, moving to sit next to him. They sat there for a while, speaking of nothing consequential. The weather, her students, life on Titan.

She wasn’t sure when she had fallen back asleep But when Ellie woke up, for the briefest of moments - she felt at peace. Until she blinked her eyes and remembered just exactly where she was.

Her cheek was pressed up against Thanos’ bare chest, her arm wrapped around his thick waist. Their legs were tangled together underneath the soft comforter. She went to move but found that his arm was snaked around her waist, holding her close to him.

And he was _much_ stronger than she was. She tried to move but she simply couldn’t make his giant arm budge. She was stuck.

“Thanos?” She whispered quietly, trying to wiggle out of his grasp. “Thanos, wake up.” But he didn’t stir in the slightest.

So here she was, quite literally, canoodling with a half-clothed (possibly murderous) alien, in her room, _in her bed,_ in her apartment.

Ellie felt her cheeks redden as she actually looked at the alien in bed with her. His muscles were so defined. The lines on his skin deep, powerful. He could quite literally kill her with one hand. But asleep - he just wasn’t as scary when he was asleep. He almost seemed gentle? It was the oddest, briefest moments, but Ellie wasn’t afraid. She wasn’t even uncomfortable laying here.

Slowly, carefully, she moved her hand from around his hips, tracing the lines, the _scars,_ up his chest gently with her finger.

What had he seen?

What had this man been through?

He stretched slightly, stirring underneath her touch. He was slowly beginning to wake up. “Good morning.” He said, with a sleepy grin. “Enjoying the view?”

“Hi.” She responded quickly, finally able to wriggle out of his embrace. She hurried out of bed and to the other side of the room, putting as much space between them as possible. “We’ve got a busy day today. You should probably get dressed.” She said, looking at the wall and gesturing vaguely to his half naked form. “We need to get you some clothes before dinner with my parents tonight.”

“Whatever you say, dear.” Thanos responded with a grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wish that my brain would let me write the plot instead of random moments like these but............... its my fanfic so i can do what i want. i think. idk. anyways if u saw IW let me know! i'm going to go back over the next couple days and change things so that the gauntlet is a little more to mcu canon. in my defense i had no idea how it worked so. if u think it's inaccurate ur probably right.
> 
>  
> 
> oh well
> 
> also thanos in IW??? AMAZING.


	6. Pet

The noise resonated so loudly in her kitchen, she thought that the entire army was taking aim at her. It was louder than anything she had heard when warping through reality with Thanos. Ellie screamed, her bowl clattering to the ground, spilling milk and cereal all over her floor. Covering her mouth quickly, she flung herself on the ground, hiding behind the island in her kitchen. She hugged her knees to her chest, she prayed silently that whatever was here - it was here for Thanos, and not her.

“Your pets are normally not so timid, master.” A nasally voice chimed. A dark figure rounded the corner. He was… _long_. His legs and his arms were so unproportionate to the rest of his body. The man (if you could even call him that) clasped his hands behind his back as he looked Ellie over.

She shut her eyes tight, hoping that whatever was about to happen, would be quick and painless. This was it, this was the end. Right here, in her Hello Kitty pajamas, in her kitchen.

What a terrible way to die.

“She’s not a pet.” A voice said.

A voice that caused relief to wash over her.

A voice that definitely should _not_ have made her feel so at ease.

“Come now.” Thanos said. She looked over to where his voice was coming from. He was smiling at her offering a hand to help her up. Ellie, all too willingly, took his hand, standing back up. She was still trembling.

Whether he noticed that or not, she was unsure, but as soon as she was steady on her feet, he drew her close to him, tucking her underneath his arm. Her head barely cleared his chest. He towered over in such a way that she couldn’t help but feel safe next to him. Instinctively, she wrapped her hand around his thick waist, clutching onto him for dear life.

So there the three of them stood. Ellie in her pajamas, covered in milk. Thanos half clothed and coming to Ellie’s rescue. And this… thing. Tall and lanky and kind of mean.

“My lord, if not a pet, what purpose does she serve? Is she pleasing you, master?” He grinned, his teeth misshapen and grey. Ellie would have rather him continue speaking about Thanos’ sexual pleasures than had to have seen that wicked smile.

“In her own way.” He responded, grinning down at Ellie. “I enjoy her company.”

“Company doesn’t warm the bed, my master.” The alien grinned, crossing his spindly arms over his chest. “I could bring one of your whores to this planet.” God, she wanted to be anywhere but here right now. She wished that she could take that stupid glove and disappear from her apartment. She shifted uncomfortably, resisting the urge to hide her face against Thanos’ rough skin.

“Maw, what are you here for, other than scarring my… Ellie.”

“Ellie.” Maw repeated, taking a step closer to where she and Thanos stood. His grin became more pronounced and, if possible, even more gruesome.

Still rattled from the earlier encounter with this man, she took in a sharp breath, attempting to put even more of Thanos between the two of them. “Maw.” Thanos said, his voice rising slightly. “Why are you here.”

“There’s been a scent. A whiff of a stone, my lord. The slightest of traces far into the galaxy.”

“Why are you here then?”

“To inform you, mighty Thanos.”

“Go.” He said, releasing Ellie and stepping closer to where the Maw stood. “Go and find the stone, do not gossip to me about its whereabouts.” The other alien cowered under Thanos’ shadow. “You waste my time again, child, and there will be consequences.”

The creature grumbled an apology before leaving, just as loudly as he had arrived.

“Did he hurt you?” Thanos asked, both his voice and his expression softening as he turned to face her. He placed his hands gently on her arms, crouching slightly to meet her gaze. “Ellie, did he hurt you?”

She stood, mouth open and eyes wide. She hadn’t heard that raw power in his voice since that first day in the cottage. She had forgotten how commanding and… _scary_ he was. She shook her head, unable to find her voice.

“Good.” He dropped his hands at his side. “Didn’t you say we had things to do?” His familiar grin appeared on his face, walking past Ellie and back into her bedroom. “Hey.” He called, turning on his heels right before he closed the bedroom door. “I don’t have whores.”

“Okay…” Ellie sputtered, confused as to why he felt the need to make this declaration.

And confused as to why a tiny flood of relief washed over her when he did.

 

She had one goal in mind when they pulled into the thrift store:

Cheap.

Men’s.

Clothes.

Thanos had requested that they (she) get clothes for Jason, and for Thanos. He didn’t want to stay in his “disgusting meat suit” all the time, but he would need clothes to fit his giant alien form.

“I can’t guarantee that they’ll have clothes for a seven foot man here.” Ellie said as they walked into the store. The familiar stench of Goodwill greeting them as they entered.

Thanos shrugged, offering no addition to the conversation.

“What do you want? Button downs? T-shirts? Polos?”

“Those words mean nothing to me, you should know this.”

Ellie laughed, offering a hand. “Follow me.”

They spent about an hour (And almost $100…) at the thrift store. Thanos was able to find a single pair of pajama pants that were long enough to fit him as an alien.

 

“You ready for this?” Ellie said, anxiously smoothing the front of her dress as they stood on her parent’s porch.

“Parents love me.” Thanos responded cooly.

“Aren’t you an alien murderer?” She asked, cocking an eyebrow.

He shrugged, knocking loudly on the door. “Murderer is such a negative word.”

“Remember - this isn’t serious. You are just a friend. Just pick some normal human earth job and don’t go too crazy in detail. Keep it simple, keep it light. We’re going to eat and leave.”

The door knob turned, and as the door opened, Thanos snatched Ellie’s hand, holding it in his own. “Good evening!” He said with a broad smile.

Ellie knew she was in the for the longest night of her life.

“How did you two meet?” Was the first question out of her mom’s mouth. They had barely settled in at the dinner table when she asked.

“Hiking!” Thanos answered before scooping a large helping of tortellini into his mouth. Ellie coughed, nearly choking on her drink.

“Is there a story behind the meet cute?” Her mom asked, taking a sip of wine.

“No.”

“Yes there is.” Thanos said, nudging Ellie with his elbow. If his grin got any bigger, he’d probably bust out of his human disguise. “Ellie was hiking.” He started, setting his fork down. “I was camping out in the woods.”

“ _Camping_ ” Ellie said, rolling her eyes.

“Yes, camping. El was out searching for… oh what was it babe?”

“Bird eggs.” She said, fighting every urge she had to roll her eyes.

“That’s right! For her class. Anyways. This girl gets _so lost_ that she stumbles into my campsite - mind you, she about takes my tent right out, too.”

“That definitely sounds like Ellie.” Her dad snorted, shaking his head. “What do you do, Jason? When you aren’t helping my poor daughter find her way out of that damned forest, that is.”

“I…” He paused, glancing over at Ellie. Her eyes were wide, silently pleading him to keep it vague. “I work in human resources.” He said, winking at her as he said so. “You know, checks and balances in the workplace, all of that.”

“That is so important.” Mr. Jetsper replied, waving his fork around as he said so. “Too many people just do whatever they want in their place of work these days.”

“Enough shop talk.” Erin, her mother, interjected. “How long have you too been… _consciously coupling_?”

“Mom!” Ellie said, shooting the older woman a look that could kill.

“It’s an innocent question. I think I have the right to know since you cancelled our dinner last night for _him_.”

“It’s only been a couple of weeks, Mrs. Jetsper.” Thanos said, a polite smile gracing his lips.

Who was this guy? Because this was _definitely_ not the same man that she had been living with.

The rest of the evening was filled with uncomfortable small talk, and her mother making terrible sex jokes. As they left, they said their goodbyes, and Thanos draped his arm around Ellie’s shoulders, walking to the car. He opened her car door, but blocked her from getting in.

“They’re watching us.” He stated, his voice low.

“They’re my _parents_ , of course they are.”

“We don’t know who they’re working for."

“Are you suggesting that my mother is a SHIELD agent?”

“No, no that’s not what I’m saying.”

“Alright, let me past, then.”

Thanos rolled his eyes, stepping closer to Ellie. She was backed up against the car now. “My turn.” He muttered with a devilish grin, his voice almost a growl. Gently, he cradled her face in his hands, pressing his lips against hers.

Ellie froze momentarily, taking a moment to get her bearings. Leaning back against the car, she let her lips part slightly, welcoming the kiss.

After a moment, she grinned against his lips. She pulled back ever so slightly. “Making out in my parent’s driveway was your solution?” She asked, scrunching her nose at the thought.

Thanos leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers. “You did the same exact thing yesterday, dearest. I thought it only fair to return the favor.”

“In front of my parents though. That’s what I’m getting at.”

“They stopped watching before I kissed you.” Thanos replied, an arrogant grin appearing on his face.

“Are you kidding me? Move.” She said, pushing him away. She cranked the car on, ABBA’s _Waterloo_ coming from the radio as she did so. They exchanged no words the rest of the night. The car ride home was silent, save for the radio. Thanos did offer up a half hearted “goodnight” as she shut her door.

Despite what he had told the alien man earlier, she was starting to feel a little more like a pet, and a little less like a hostage.

And she wasn’t sure which one was worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know when a teacher says "don't ever say that your work is bad bc then we'll all think that!!!!!'  
> yeah they suck and this is terrible. i backed myself into a corner with this chapter and i didn't know what the heck to do with it. so here's the half hearted, terrible piece of writing and i hope that u liked like a sentence or two bc man
> 
>  
> 
> i'm sorry  
> the next one will be better
> 
> also
> 
> i love u


	7. Starlight

She shot up in her bed, her face flush. A thin layer of sweat sat atop her forehead. “What?” She muttered, shaking her head slightly.

 _His hands on her hips, his mouth on hers, on her neck, her clavicle - lower. The animalistic look in his eyes as_ _he shed his clothing._

Ellie’s breath caught in her throat. She shut her eyes tight, begging the leftover dream to vacate her mind. Glancing over at the clock, she groaned. 2:01. Not even close to sunrise, or the start to her day. Grumbling quietly under her breath, she dragged herself out of bed.

She needed Advil.

Now.

Opening the door slowly, so as to not wake Thanos, she crept out of her room. She tiptoed to the kitchen, the floor creaking with each step. It wasn’t until she turned the kitchen faucet on, that she noticed him. He was standing stock still, staring catatonic out the window. She wasn’t even sure he was breathing.

Ellie swallowed roughly, her eyes drifting over the muscles of his bare back. Memories of her dream came flooding back.

_Their lips met, a low groan rumbling from the back of his throat. Her hands raked down his chest, running along the defined muscles. He broke the kiss, pushing her gently back on the bed._

Thanos turned his head, glancing back at where Ellie stood, her mouth agape.

“I’m - I’m sorry.” She spluttered, yanking the Advil bottle out of the cabinet. “I didn’t mean to bother you.” She felt her cheeks redden, this time out of embarrassment. “I thought you would be asleep. I’ll leave.”

“Stay.” He said, his voice quiet, yet strong. “Your presence a comfort to me.”

“No, no.” She said, shaking her head. “You’re obviously in the middle of… something.”

“This world, _your_ world, is calm at night. Everything is asleep.” He took in a long breath, exhaling loudly. “It’s peaceful.”

Wordlessly, Ellie padded over to the messy pull out, placing herself on the edge. She crossed her legs, waiting for Thanos to say something more. He didn't. Not for several minutes. The two sat there in a muddled silence.

“It is, however -” He started after the long pause. “Polluted.” He gestured for Ellie to come to the window. She stood next to him, admiring the stars that sprinkled the night sky.

“I don’t understand what you mean. The stars shine so brightly here. It’s better -”

“Shhh.” He interrupted, fetching the gauntlet off of the nearby end table and sliding it onto his hand. “Look.” His voice was a whisper now. He clutched the gauntlet into a fist, the red gem glowing brightly.

Ellie gasped slightly as his hand found its way to the small of her back. But the surprise quickly passed and was replaced with awe. A crimson sparkle trailed across the sky, and as it moved, it was replaced by billions of stars. The sky was so bright, it was as if daytime had come early.

“Humans contaminate the skies with artificial lights and take away from the natural beauty that the universe created for us to enjoy.” He smiled down at her, taking a step back. “Do you trust me?” Thanos asked, holding his hand out.

“What?”

“Do you trust me?”

She offered a smile, reluctantly taking his hand. Her heart fluttered as their skin touched.

_He hovered over her now, his hands in her hair._

_“We should stop.” She told him, breathlessly._

_“Do you want to?” He asked, his breath hot against the skin of her neck._

_She pulled his face back up to hers, kissing him fiercely. “No.” She muttered against his lips._

“You’re anxious.” He noted, gently pulling her closer. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

It was the first time he had said that. And she wished that she believed him. She _did_ believe him. Ellie just knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this… whatever this was, would only end in hurt. For a moment, the air seemed to freeze. He was looking at her so intently, she truly believed that he might kiss her. Afraid to break his gaze, she shifted her weight uncomfortably, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Hold tight.” He says, pulling her against him and wrapping his non-gloved hand tightly around her waist. Balling his hand into a fist, the blue stone glowed. She knew what this was, she had done this a dozen times over. Her stomach lurched this time, however. When they arrived on the other side, they were in a field.

At least, she thought it was a field. The meadow was covered in beautiful waves of red grass, blowing gently in the breeze. Stalks of purple and blue flowers were scattered across the field. “This is beautiful.” She said, taking in the scenery around her.

“Look up.” He whispered, using his free, gloveless hand to gently turn her her face towards the sky.

“Oh.” She breathed, wonderstruck by the sight she took in. The sky was just as bright as it had been outside her window (with Thanos’ help…), but the colors. The vast amount of colors and streaks and _lives_ that she saw in the sky took her breath away.

“This planet is called R'makl'z.” Thanos explained. “It is inhabited by a species called the R'makl'i. They’re like the trees, that you have on earth. But alive. They don’t use electricity to power their lives. So at night, when their sun sets, you see beautiful light shows.”

“Have you been here before?” Ellie asks, plopping down on the ground. She lie down in the crimson sea of grass.

“Just once.” He replied, sitting down next to where she lay. She took her eyes off of the sky, and looked over at him, smiling softly. “A long time ago.” Hesitantly, he lay down next to her, watching her for any signs that she might not welcome the company.

They lay there for a while, watching the stars glide across the sky, and the planets twinkle in the distance. She had never felt so close to someone like this before. Little by little, he seemed to be revealing himself to her. How could she keep these guards up? He wasn’t the monster that she thought he was. He couldn’t be. Monsters don’t go out of their way to make someone feel safe.

Right?

Cautiously, carefully, she reached her hand out, inching it towards where his lay in the grass. Her hand bumped his gently, sending electric shocks up her arm. A ghost of a grin crossed his face as he rolled his wrist slightly, allowing her to sneak her much smaller hand into his.

They stayed there for several, peaceful moments. That is, until a yawn wracked through Ellie’s frame, reminding her that she was still a human being that needed rest.

Thanos smiled knowingly, standing to his feet. He offered her a hand up, and clenched his fist back into a ball, the blue stone glowing again.

“Won’t SHIELD be able to track us?” Ellie inquired, fighting back another yawn.

“It’s harder for them, off planet. Plus it’s been a while. I bet they’re not watching it anymore.” He grinned.

Returning back to her dark living room, she glanced over at the microwave. It read 4:36 A.M. “I”m gonna try and sleep, at least until my alarm.” She explained, walking away from him.

“No desire to share my bed, tonight?” Thanos asked, cocking an eyebrow as he did so. He gestured grandly to the couch bed, a smirk on his face.

She didn’t answer, just smiled softly at him, before closing the door to her bedroom.

Her alarm greeted her rudely a few short hours later. She rose begrudgingly, washing her face and brushing her teeth.

Ellie had to admit, she felt a little crestfallen when she opened her bedroom door to find her living area empty. Jazzy sat perched on the couch bed, mewling for something to eat. She fed her cat, slipped on her shoes, and walked out the door.

She didn’t own him, nor did he owe her any explanations of where he was, or why he would leave. But she couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that he disappeared like that. Especially after the moment that she thought that they shared.

At school, she greeted her students as they entered the classroom, a fresh smile on her face. She had much to do today, and very little time to spend moping about her fake alien boyfriend. She sat cross legged on the rug with her students, singing the days of the week before circle time began.

A loud knock rapped on the door.

“Chase, go check and see who it is.”

The boy, Chase, ran from his seat to the door, peering out the small window. “Do you know who’s at our door?” Ellie called from her spot on the rug.

He shook his head, making a face as he shrugged. “No, Ms. Jetsper.”

“Okay, come have a seat.” She said, standing. Peeking through the window, her heart dropped. Outside her classroom, complete with a visitor sticker, stood Thanos.

Jason Thanos.

He gave her a wave, gesturing with one hand for her to open the door. The other hand was behind his back.

Was he about to make good on his deal from the cottage?

Was this the moment she had been fighting so hard to avoid?

She turned the doorknob, awaiting whatever Thanos had on the other side. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> womp womp womp womp wommmmmmmmmmmmp
> 
> oh man oh man. i HAVE A PLOT I PROMISE. there's a whole story that we'll PROBABLY START SOON. i'm telling u though. this story has a mind of it's own and it just happens to me. i have no control over what ellie and thanos do anymore. i'm sorry. 
> 
> they're running the show.
> 
> VVV leave me a comment though and let me know what you're thinking. i can take it!  
> <3


	8. Clearing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is a long one, be prepared for a LOT to happen in a short amount of time.

Ellie attempted to smile at him as he stood outside her door. “Hi Jason.” She forced out. “What are you doing here?”

He continued to beam down at her, no trace of maliciousness in his features. “I wanted to surprise you.” He grinned, offering her what was behind his back. She flinched, which didn’t go unnoticed by Thanos. In his hand was a bouquet of flowers. Blue and purple.

Her heart fluttered, relief setting over her, which was soon followed by guilt. She had really thought that this was the end of her and her students. She hadn’t trusted him at all. “Are these…?” She asks, trying to keep her composure. She knew she had eighteen pairs of eyes on her as she stood in her doorway.

“They are.” Thanos replied smoothly, his blue eyes twinkling.

“Come in, come in. We’re almost ready to go to art class, then we can chat!” Ellie said, turning her attention back to her class. “Boys and girls, this is Mr. Jason. Can you all say good morning? Mr. Jason is a very good friend of Ms. Jetsper’s.”

“Is he your _boyyyyyfriend_?” A small child chirped, grinning.

Thanos, taking this opportunity to catch her off guard, put her hand on her waist pulled her close to him, placing a soft kiss in her hair. “I am indeed.” He growled playfully.

Ellie swatted his hand away, shooting an unhappy glare in his direction. The children, however, giggled.

_She’ll hear about this one, for sure._

“Come, come.” Ellie said, motioning for her class to stand. “Let’s take you to art. Maybe Mr. Frenks can take you a couple minutes early today.” She clapped happily, encouraging her students as they lined up.

“Be right back!” She said to Thanos, skirting out the door.

After an earful from the art teacher about ‘strict specials schedules’ and ‘respect for your colleague's time’, Ellie managed to make her way back to her classroom, shutting the door behind her. “Sorry! They’ll be gone for about fifty minutes now, though.”

His back was to her, still holding the foreign flowers in his hand. “I can take those, put them in some water. Are these _from_ R… Rm…” She grimaced, unable to remember the planet that he had taken her to.

“R’makl’z.” He reminded her gently, turning. He offered the flowers to her, his gaze solemn. Ellie took them, searching for a vase in her cabinets. “Do you trust me?” He asked, the question echoing the one that he had ask much earlier this morning.

“I…” She trailed off, “I think so.” She said, uncertain. “I think so.”

“Then, I’m going to need you to play along.” Was his reply, and by the time Ellie turned around, he was _himself._ Tall and brawny and purple. She immediately went into panic mode, looking at all the doors and windows to make sure no one was in the direct vicinity.

“Thanos!” She hissed, pushing past him to draw the curtain on her door window. “What are you doing? People are going to see you.”

“That’s the plan.” He said, advancing towards her, a look of ardent determination in his eyes. Startled, Ellie took a step back.

“What’s going on?” She asked, her voice barely a whisper. “Thanos, what are you doing?”

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He said, inches from her now. His gloveless hand grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back against his chest. “But… it would be better if you played along.” He dipped his head, whispering in her ear.

Genuine tears welled up in her eyes as she felt the gauntlet around her throat. But it didn’t tighten. The snap she was expecting never came. He rested his hand around her neck. “Let’s go.” He said with a grin.

Shuffling to the side, he kicked her classroom door open, the glass window shattering as he did so. Thanos led her out the door and towards the front of the school. “If you wanted to keep crying.” He muttered softly behind her, “That would make for a good show.”

He was leading her to the front of the school. The front desk and the cameras. “Oh god…” She whispered, shaking.

“Hear me!” He shouted as they came into view of the welcome desk and secretary. “Hear me and _listen well_. I am Thanos of Titan. I have come to bring balance to the cosmos, and I am willing to rend asunder any that dare stand in my way.” He was looking directly into the security camera now. He removed the gauntlet from her neck, creating a fist in his hands. “I already have two stones. That makes me the most powerful being in the galaxy.” His voice reminded her of how he had spoken to her in the cottage the first time.

She was truly frightened, trembling before him.

“Come and get me.” He snarled, before the two of them were swallowed up by a portal.

It spit them out in Ellie’s living room, two duffle bags tossed on the floor before her. “Pack.” He said quietly, letting go of her arm. “We don’t have long.”

Numb, Ellie stumbled into her closet, grabbing haphazardly at the clothes that hung there. She grabbed everything from dresses to pajamas to shorts.

What did she need?

Where was he taking her?

When she was satisfied with the disarray of clothes she had picked out, she returned to the living room, stuffing them into the bag. In the second bag, she noted, was the clothes that they had purchased for Thanos. A sob escaped her mouth, causing her to shudder. “What’s wrong?” Thanos asked, his voice even.

“My parents. What’s going to happen to them? Are they going to hurt them?” She ran a ragged hand through her hair, stifling another whimper.

A large finger turned her chin to look at him, his gaze expressionless. “Darling,” He starts, “ _I_ am the villain in this story.” He laughed, a cold, cruel laugh. “And you and I? We had a deal. Remember?”

Ellie swallowed, nodding her head. She leaned over to strap the duffle bag over her shoulder, when a resonating shot echoed in the house. A sound she was all too familiar with.

“Maw.” Thanos said, turning his attention from Ellie.

“More whispers, father.” Maw started, crossing his arms. “They’re hunting you. In this town. Now.” A sickening grin crossed his face.

“The clearing.” Was all Thanos said, before shooing Maw with a flick of his wrist. “Do not leave.” He said, returning his gaze to where Ellie stood. “Do not open the door, and do not leave.” He reached around her, and she thought he might be pulling her into an embrace.

She stiffened.

Reaching into her back pocket, he grabbed her phone, sneering down at it. Easily, he crushed it in the palm of his hand. “Just to be safe.” He said, before vanishing.

Her mind reeled. Everything that had taken place over the last… thirty minutes rolled through her brain. All of a sudden, she was a part of something massive. Even more so than when she had stumbled into the cottage all that time ago. She was a known hostage of the man that had just threatened the world.

Then, as if controlled by someone else, she began to move. She hauled both duffle bags over her shoulders, grabbed her keys, and ran out the door. It wasn’t until she was halfway down the first flight of stairs that she realized her car was still at the school, and she had no phone to call anyone. She was stranded.

Flinging the door open, she gasped. She didn’t know how, or why, but she knew who. Her car was sitting in its spot, beckoning for her. She silently thanked the Mad Titan for delivering her car to her, before throwing the bags in the trunk.

She had just one, quick stop to make.

They didn’t live far, twenty minutes at most. But she needed her parents to know that she was okay, for now. And she had an ulterior motive…

She flung the door opened, revealing a teary-eyed mother standing by the television, clutching to her phone for dear life.

“Ellie!” She shouted, about knocking her over with her embrace. “Oh dear, oh lord. What happened? It’s all over the news. They say he’s an… an _alien._ Ellie, what’s wrong? What’s happening.”

She wormed her way out of her mom’s embrace. “Mom, I need you to open dad’s gun safe.” She said, wild eyed.

“Ellie… you’re scaring me.”

“Mom,” She said, holding the older woman’s hands. “I’m okay. I’m solid. I just… I need to do this. I need a gun.”

Her mom nodded silently, motioning for her to follow. After opening the safe she turned to her daughter, blocking her from the same. “Please, please be safe. Is he making you do this?” Tears fell freely.

Ellie hugged her mom tight, wishing that she had never went on that hike. “I’m safe mom, I love you. So much.” She smiled, wiping her own tears away. She found the gun that she needed, the one that her dad had taught her to use in college. “Can I ask one favor?” Ellie questioned, frowning as she did so.

“Anything.”

“Can you get Jazzy? Just while I’m gone. I’ll be back. I promise.” She smiled softly at her mom before darting down the stairs and out the door.

It was almost as if muscle memory brought her back to the parking lot, the exact spot where she had parked her car before. She hadn’t been back to the park since. Not that she had had the time, mind you. But now, a frantic feeling was rising in her chest as she slammed the door shut.

So she ran.

And, oh my god did she run.

Everything seemed to be a blur, nothing in her mind was making sense. Everything was jumbled up, nothing was clicking.

SHIELD. They were the good guys, right?

And Thanos, he was the bad guy.

Right?

That’s what he himself had said back at her apartment.

So why, as she dodged trees and roots, was her only thought about getting to him, making sure that he was safe.

Tears stung her face as she ran, she didn’t know what she was doing. All she knew was that he was at the cottage. The one in the woods from so long ago, and that she couldn’t live with herself if anything happened to him.

But why?

Her legs burned, begging her to pause for a moment’s reprieve. But she didn’t have time. Ellie could hear the gunshots in the distance. Whatever was happening, it was happening now. And she could lose him.

It had been so long since she had first found the cottage, she wasn’t sure if she could even remember the way back, so she followed the noises, the terrible explosions ahead of her. She didn’t dare call for him, or yell out at all, less she cause a scene, a distraction, anything that could hurt him.

She had borrowed a gun from her father’s safe. Her dad had taught her how to use it years ago, and she doubted she even remembered, but she needed an insurance policy. Something that might guarantee that she could get out of her alive.

The gunshots were getting louder now, Ellie could hear voices in the distance. So many of them. The clearing wasn’t far off now. She could see the battle.

There he was, one against… many. She watched in horror as the sights unfolded before her. So many agents, so many guns aimed at him. Every sense of morality inside of her was in turmoil. Everything that she had been taught growing up was at war within herself.

He was the bad guy.

He wasn’t the one that was supposed to be saved.

Her eyes scanned the battlefield, and what she saw struck fear inside of her. She gasped softly, covering her mouth with her hand. The clearing was littered with bodies. Over a dozen agents, just laying there.

But… not… dead?

She studied the one closest to her, noting that her chest rose and fell.

He wasn’t killing them.

He wasn’t _killing them_.

It was inopportune, but it was almost as if relief washed over her in that moment. Maybe, maybe they were wrong. Maybe everyone was wrong.

Maybe he _wasn’t_ the villain in this story after all.

Just as this happened, an agent, hidden in the woods behind where Thanos stood, revealed himself, toting what looked to be a small cannon.

_Oh my god._

Ellie’s adrenaline coursed through her, she revealed herself as well. But before she had the chance to say anything, someone saw her.

“It’s her!” The voice yelled. “The girl from the footage!”

Ellie’s heart stopped. _Oh god._

“Ellie, Ellie Jetsper, right? Ellie, come with us. Come with me. We can save you. We can end this.” The agent stretched a hand out, offering her safety. Ellie’s gaze quickly flickered to the armed agent, now hauling the canon up on his shoulder.

Before her stood two choices.

Freedom.

Or Thanos.

God, if she was confused before, she felt downright desperate now. She was cornered. Could they save her? Could these _humans_ even stand a chance against Thanos? What if all it did was piss him off, and leave her deader than she was before.

Ellie took in a ragged breath, her cheeks tearstained. She could see only one option.

“Hey jackass!” She called, pulling her father’s gun on him. She clicked the safety off. “Pick on someone your own size!”

She pulled the trigger.

And missed.

But it was enough to throw him off guard, enough for Thanos to whip around in their direction, and allowing him the briefest moments, to take him out.

“Ellie!” Thanos bellowed, rushing over to where she stood.

She dropped the gun to the ground, astonished at what she had just attempted to do.

“I…”

“Are you hurt?” He asked, pulling her close to him.

She shook her head, unable to find her voice.

She had tried to kill someone.

“Close your eyes.” Thanos told her softly. “Now.”

She did as he said, hiding her face against his chest. He held her tightly, and in that moment… even with a battle raging around them. She felt…

_Safe._

She heard the gauntlet shift, the ever familiar noise of him clutching it together, but this… this  was different than before. This one left an effect that was eerie, reverberating through the clearing. She felt a large hand on the back of her head, holding her close to him.

And as everything went silent, the echo of the snap hung in the air.

Thanos took a step back, sliding the gauntlet off and taking Ellie’s face in his hands, gently. “Are you alright?”

She nodded, crying harder than before.

He brushed a tear away with the pad of his thumb, pulling her into an embrace. “I’m sorry, Ellie.”

And as she scanned the battlefield, the body count had doubled. Possibly tripled. But this time, they weren’t breathing.

“Thanos…” She started, her voice barely a whisper.

“I did what I had to do.”

Oh god, was she in the thick of it now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what?? i??? started a plot?? no way jose say it isn't so.  
> i love you all so much you make my heart sing.  
> thank you for reading and commenting and kudoing (is that a word?)  
> my face lights up each time i get an email from ao3.  
> you guys make me so happy


	9. The Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i updated the tags. i have NO INTENTION of putting r*pe in my story, but theres a part with some non-consensual touching going on in this chapter, and i wanted to put a fair warning in there for anyone that might find it triggering. as always - i love u all and thank u for reading

* * *

Had he been wearing his armor this whole time? Or had he changed into it after decimating the field of agents? Ellie tried desperately to remember what he had been wearing. It was golden, looking as though it had been smelted and forged for him and him alone. More than that, she tried to make any sense of what was happening.

“Things have been set into motion.” Thanos remarked, his face grim. He twisted the gauntlet back into place. “No turning back now.” An eerie grin flash across his features. “Let’s go.”

She opened her mouth to respond but he held a hand up, silencing her before she even began. Her eyes flickered to the gauntlet, watching as the blue stone illuminated. She had very little time to think before the blue expanse swallowed them both whole.

Upon arriving on the other side, a shudder wracked through Ellie’s frame, causing her to wrap her arms around herself in an attempt to warm back up. Every other time they had traveled in such a way, Thanos had always held onto her. But, going through the shift alone, left her feeling more empty than she had ever felt before. Wherever they were, it was dark. Very little light lit up the room that they were in. If it was even a room, the walls held the appearance of a cave.

Ellie turned to try and locate Thanos, only to see that he was already barking orders at several groups of people.

Aliens?

Alien people.

Everything was happening around her so fast, she felt as though she barely had time to breathe. She was approached by two beings. “These two ladies have been in my service for many years.” Came Thanos’ voice. He wasn’t looking at her. “They will take care of you.”

Before she could conjure up something to say, Thanos was gone, and she was being ushered away by the two women. They were speaking, but Ellie couldn’t understand them. They said so much, so quickly. Each one had her by one arm, and they were toting her away to a place unknown.

Her heart rate elevated, what was happening? Their touches weren’t forceful but it was still unnerving to dragged around a foreign area. After walking for what felt like hours, they arrived at a room. It was a giant, stately room. Ellie wouldn’t have been surprised to find out that this was, indeed, Thanos’ room.

She had very little time to sightsee, because she was ushered through the room, and into the extravagant bathroom. The women released her, standing in front of her now. “Misa.” One of the women said, pointing to her chest. She had long, white braided hair.

“Jayne.” Said the other, imitating Misa’s motions. She had short, grey hair, cut precisely and cleanly.

Misa turned her back on Ellie, drawing a bath. She then pantomimed undressing, smiling as she did so. “Clean.” She said, waving her hand to the bath. “My Lord has a big meeting. Requests your presence. You are not suitable for the meeting.”

Ellie nodded and, as if in a trance, began unbuttoning the buttons on her blouse. She half expected the ladies to turn around and give her some privacy but that didn’t happen. Her hands were shaking. In the last forty five minutes she had been through so much, she couldn’t steady herself. And now she was standing somewhere, in a giant alien bathroom, undressing in front of two blue skinned old ladies.

After shedding her clothing she tried, in vain, to cover herself up. The women paid her no mind, and shooed her into the tub. The water was warm, almost a relaxing feeling. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she sunk down lower into the water. The tub was huge, it almost seemed to be the size of a hot tub. She closed her eyes to enjoy a moment’s reprieve but was not allowed even that. Something was dumped on her head, and she felt multiple hands in her hair.

“I can… I can do it myself” She sputtered, trying to push their hands away.

“No no no no. You are a guest of His Majesty. You will be treated as such.” Misa replied hastily. Or maybe it was Jayne. She wasn’t sure, as soap was now dripping into her eyes.

Ellie closed her eyes and allowed it to happen. Their hands were gentle, it was not unlike a massage. And honestly, it was nice to have physical contact with someone that wasn’t… a giant murderer alien.

When the bathing was over, she was led out of the tub and into a vast sitting room. She no longer attempted to cover herself up, and sat where she was instructed to. The women exchanged a short conversation before one of them, Misa, disappeared into another room, while Jayne rummaged around in a nearby drawer. She returned with something that resembled an ivory vine, but was a beautiful silver color.

“That’s too much, I can’t wear that.” She said, waving her hand.

“His Grace commands it. And if His Grace asks that his lady is decorated, he will receive that.”

_His lady._

She didn’t like that. Not one bit.

Misa returned toting a long gown, carrying it carefully, so that it did not drag the ground. “Up up!” She said, tugging the dress over Ellie’s head. She stood, watching as the women bustled around her. Jayne was in a chair now, doting over Ellie’s auburn locks as she meticulously twisted them up and into the ivory crown. The dress was a deep grey, with one strap over each shoulder, and a another pair of straps that fell off the shoulder. The dress itself was gorgeous, but she had to admit, Ellie felt a little out of place wearing it.

The most dressed up she had ever been, was when she was a bridesmaid at a college friend’s wedding…

“Come come.” They said, dragging her along once more. “His Majesty is waiting for you. You are ready to see him.”

They walked down the same path that they had taken coming in, and stopped outside a grand doorway. Thanos stood outside the entranceway, hands clasped behind his back. He was still wearing the golden armor from earlier, but the helmet was gone. A smile crossed his face as they came into view. “Thank you.” He noted to the women, kissing each of their hands respectfully.

They skirted off, and Ellie couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness as they left. They had been so kind and gentle with her. “You,” Thanos started, turning his full attention to where she stood. “My lady, look ravishing.” She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks as she avoided his gaze. “You’re about to have a front row seat to the beginning. The beginning of a new universe. A safer one, a better one.”

She blinked, taking the arm that he was offering. They entered a room, a _very_ large room. At the end sat a giant throne. Any chatter that had been ongoing before they entered was silenced immediately. An eerie stillness replaced it. There were so many eyes on them. _On her._ Once they reached the crowds of people, the whispers began.

_Is she a human?_

_God knows a terran couldn’t handle Thanos._

_Leave it to the Mad Titan to bring a human into space with him._

Whether Thanos heard the comments or not, he did not react at all. His face was stoic as always, emotionless as they approached the throne. The steps up to the throne were steep, but Thanos climbed them with ease. He grabbed Ellie’s arm, pulling her close to him. “Sit.” He whispered, his breath hot against her ear. “At my feet.”

She did as she was told, dumbstruck by the command. The ground was cold and unwelcoming. She tucked her legs under her, folding her hands delicately in her lap. If she was to play the part of a whore of Thanos, the least she could do was play it well.

The meeting was long, boring, and kind of pointless, she thought. They spoke of balance several times, and often in a language she didn’t understand. She looked out into the crowd, desperate to see some sort of familiar face. She never thought she’d see the day where she would be _happy_ to pick Ebony Maw’s face out of the crowd, but here they were.

As the meeting seemed to draw to a close, someone mentioned the words _arena_ and _information_ , which seemed to peak the interest of several parties in the crowd. Thanos stood, offering a hand to Ellie. “My lady.” She took the outstretched hand, standing. She held tightly for a moment too long, afraid that her legs might give way underneath her.

He put his hand on her cheek, leaning down so his mouth was near her ear again. “This is an important networking time. Do your best to stay out of trouble. Make friends.” And then he was gone. Ellie floated down the steps, trying her best to look elegant and graceful as she did so.

She would have given anything to be able to slip out of that room right now, and she considered wiggling her way through the throngs of people and out the door. But she didn’t know anything about where they were, she didn’t speak anything other than English and quite honestly, she would have just wanted to be with Jayne and Misa again.

A figure approached her from the side, catching her off guard.

“Hello.” The voice hissed, deep. Ellie turned to face the sound, and found that the alien was much taller than she was. Shorter than Thanos, mind you, but taller than her. “Enjoying your time on the Sssssanctuary?”

“The Sanctuary?” She asked, puzzled.

“The Mad Titan’s sssship. That’ssss where we are.” The being answered, a twinge of annoyance in their voice. “Ssssurely the Titan didn’t leave you alone with no knowledge of appropriate cusssstoms?” They asked, inching closer to where Ellie stood.

“He did.” She said, shrugging. She tried to step back, but the alien advanced on her again. Her eyes darted around the room, begging for anyone to look over at her.

“A shame.” An arm was extended out, sharp claws at the end of long fingers. They dragged one claw down her cheek, grinning. “To leave ssssuch a pretty flower, all alone.” A step closer. “I’ll take care of you.”

“I’m… I’m fine. Thank you.” She answered, mustering up all the courage she had left, and pushing the clawed hand away from her face. Their other hand darted towards her, grabbing her wrist tight.

“I wassssn’t assssking.” A growl. She felt a claw trail down the line of her spine towards her backside, causing her to shudder. How was she supposed to fight back against a literal clawed monster?

“Make a different choice.” A booming voice came from behind her, and the claws disappeared from her body. The alien shrunk back, quickly bowing their head.

“Your worshipnessss, I wasss merely-”

“Silence.” He said, placing his hands on Ellie’s shoulders. “She is spoken for. You are not to lay a foul claw on her again. Is this understood?”

No answer.

Thanos side-stepped Ellie, putting her behind him. With his gauntleted hand, he grabbed the alien by the throat, lifting to his eye level. “Is this.” He squeezed. “Understood?”

The alien gasped for breath, nodding as much as the titan would allow. Thanos released them, dropping the limp body to the ground. “Good.” He turned back around. “Are you alright?”

She nodded, wringing her hands together.

“I should not have left you alone. These kinds they can get… _restless_ among humans.”

“Great to know.” Ellie responded flatly.

“Come, let us retire for the evening.” He offered his arm out to her again.

“What about your alien networks?”

He didn’t answer, only laughed quietly.

Ellie walked silently beside him, her hand resting on the crook of his arm. As they passed, everyone would stop in their tracks and bow to him, averting their gaze to the ground. They arrived at a door. “You can stay here tonight.” He said, punching a code into the keypad beside the door. “The ship is yours to explore. You will be treated with the utmost respect.”

She swallowed hard. “You’re not staying?” She asked, staring adamantly at the floor as she did so.

He cocked an eyebrow. “I was under the impression you did _not_ wish to share sleeping quarters with me.”

“I’m on a weird spaceship, with aliens that either want to kill me or sleep with me. I don’t particularly _want_ to be alone.” She took a deep breath. It took every ounce of her willpower to swallow her pride. “Not tonight.”

“Very well.” He responded, allowing the door to close. “This way.”

The two of them arrived at the same room that Ellie had been in earlier that day. She smiled softly to herself, knowing that she had been right about it being Thanos’ room. But now, upon entering, she had time to really look at the room.

The bed was the focal point of his bedroom, and rightfully so. It was bigger than any bed that she had ever seen before. Which made sense, as he _was_ a giant. But the headboard and the sheets were so grandiose, that Thanos caught her gawking. “I’m not here often.” He offered. “So when I am, I enjoy certain luxuries. One of those being a bed I can lay in comfortably. It is yours for the night.”

“No, no wait I can’t do that.” Ellie said, feeling a little guilty. “This your room, I can sleep on the couch or something.”

“Ridiculous. You have never slept on an exotic, non-terran mattress, it would be a pity to deny you that experience.” He paused for a moment. “I have… a suggestion. But I fear you will not take delight in it.”

“Go on.”

“The bed is obviously large enough for the both of us to enjoy a full night’s sleep without noticing the other’s presence. If at any time that makes you uncomfortable, one of us will withdraw to the couch. Is this a fair proposal?”

He was right, she _didn’t_ like the idea of willingly sharing his bed, but it looked so comfortable, and the last 48 hours had been so intense, she deserved a good night’s rest. “Deal.” She said.

“Misa and Jayne informed me that they prepared some sleepwear for you. You will find it in the closet inside the bathroom.”

Ellie thanked him, and slipped into the bathroom. On entering the closet, her face flushed a deep red. All of the items of clothing laid out in this room were pieces of _extremely_ risqué lingerie. She dug through the clothes, managing to find a set that wasn’t too revealing. It was a simple pair of linen shorts ( _very_ short shorts), and a camisole. It was embarrassing, but better to sleep in then the dress she was wearing. She left the bathroom to find that Thanos was already settled in the bed, seated against the plush headboard.

Noticing her return, he lifted his arm, beckoning for her to join him. She pulled back the sheet, crawling up into the bed.

He was right, this mattress _was_ heavenly.

He grabbed her arm, pulling her into his side. She gasped, startled by the action. “Thanos…” She breathed, allowing herself to relax against him.

“Shhh.” Was all he responded, placing a chaste kiss against her hair. “Don’t talk.”

“I thought we weren’t going to -”

He chuckled, the deep voice echoing in his chest. “I said, don’t talk.” He lay down, moving her along with him. Her back was against his chest, his arms draped lazily around her midsection. After a moment, she rolled onto her back, looking up at him.

“I just-”

He laughed again, softly. A smile ghosted over his lips. His hand came up to her face, he traced the outline of her lips with his thumb. “You’re never satisfied, are you, my darling?” He asked, the slightest hint of mirth in his tone.

Ellie’s breath caught in her throat at the intimate motion. She would never tell him this, but it was nice to replace the feeling of cold, scaly claws on her skin. His hands were no softer in feeling, as callouses covered his rough skin, but his touches were slower, more delicate.

“Sleep.” He said quietly. “Tomorrow will bring many new trials for us both.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so like i'm SUPER ANXIOUS about the next two chapter bc theyre what this story STARTED FROM and if i don't do them justice then why even write this am i right?
> 
> thank you for all the comments, i don't always remember to comment back but they ALWAYS mean a ton to me!


	10. The Arena

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is where the idea for this fic originated. so its LONG. theres a LOT that happens, but it all needed to happen in THIS chapter. it was hard to write. so i hope at least one person enjoys it. 
> 
> also MEGA HUGE shoutout to [@LuckyCat12901](https://twitter.com/LuckyCat12901), for a HUGE AMOUNT OF HELP (read: 98% of it) in the fight scene. i struggled so hard and it wouldn't exist in this form without their help!!!!!!!!!

Ellie blinked the sleep away, stifling a yawn as she did so. A chill traveled up her body, and as she began to gain an understanding and wake up a bit more, she remembered where she was. She couldn’t move much, but she had kind of anticipated that. The last time she had woken up next to Thanos, his massive arms kept her in place. This, however, was an entirely new sensation. Her cheek was, once again, pressed against his chest, but that was about the only similarity between this time and the last.

Both his arms encircled her waist, her shirt must have ridden up in the night, because his skin was against hers, and emitted a warm, welcoming touch. She stirred slightly, finding that she lay notched between his legs. Before her mind could catch up, Ellie found herself nuzzling closer to him.

Thanos took in a sharp breath, groaning ever so softly as he exhaled. “Good morning.” He said, his voice husky with sleep. He shifted slowly, moving his hands from around her waist. “I take it you slept well?” He asked, his voice laced with innuendo.

Ellie blushed furiously, attempting to sit up.

“I was not implying that you must move.” He continued, his hand spanning the whole of her back and he gently pulled her back against him. “I was quite comfortable. Tell me, Ellie-” He sat up, leaning back against the plush headboard. He then pulled her up with him, so as to keep her close. “Why do we always find ourselves in this situation?”

“There’s never enough beds.” Ellie said, adjusting herself to a seated position.

They sat there for a moment before Thanos spoke again. “You are not going to be pleased with today, I’m afraid.”

“Has there been a day I was supposed to enjoy?” Ellie asked, laughing grimly.

“Ah but I’m afraid this day will have all the others beat. Come come.” He patted her back gently. “Misa and Jayne will be waiting for you, we have much to prepare before we arrive.”

“Arrive where?” Ellie asked, yawning once more as she did so.

“In due time, my darling. You will find out in due time.” Was all he offered, removing her from his lap and standing.

He had been correct, Misa and Jayne were waiting for her when she finally drug herself out of bed. Faces beaming, they offered her another new dress. This one was a deep maroon color, decorated with gems up top. “This is way too fancy.” Ellie commented as Jayne ran a comb through her bedhead.

“Our Master requested the finest of Titan silks for today, m’lady.” Misa chirped, smiling up at Ellie.

When all was said and done, she felt even more ridiculous than yesterday. A small golden tiara sat atop her head, despite her strongest suggestions otherwise. The ladies were under strict orders from Thanos, and they would not waiver.

“I’ll make a Titan queen of you yet.” Came a familiar voice, standing in the doorway. Thanos stood, decorated with his extravagant armor. Ellie noted that the gauntlet was not on his hand as it normally was.

She shook her head. “I have no desire to be a queen. Titan, English, or Alien.” She replied, smoothing her dress as she avoided his gaze. “I just want to be Ellie.”

“I will never ask that you be someone else.” He noted, stepping forward to usher her along. “We’re almost there. Let us go.”

“Almost where?” She tried again, but whether he heard her or not, he did not respond. They walked silently together for what felt like forever, before arriving at a part of the ship she had yet to see. (Not that she had seen even twenty five percent of it, but it was still new). Several much smaller spaceships sat docked inside the hangar, waiting to be boarded.

“Come, my darling. Let us board.” Thanos said, his voice sickeningly sweet.

“Where are you taking me?” Ellie asked, her stomach doing a nervous flip at the sound of his tone.

“I am taking several people to the surface of a nearby planet. There will be information on something I am seeking on the surface.” He made a grand gesture towards the ramp of a ship. “There, together, we will find that information.”

“Together? Thanos I’m just a school tea-”

“You are of use to me, no matter your title, Ellie.”

She swallowed hard, boarding the small spaceship. Despite what he said, there were very few others on the ship with them. A pilot, maybe a copilot, and Maw. And that was all she could see.

“You might wish to buckle up, my lady.” Ebony Maw sneered, his sinister smile jutting across his lips. She did as he said, clicking several locks into place. No one else followed suit.

Desperately, Ellie looked to Thanos, who was seated several spots away from her. He offered her a reassuring nod. “It’s your first time travelling through space in this manner, it’s best that you are secured.”

The takeoff was rough. At least, to her it was. Her stomach lurched as the ship undocked from the hangar, and again when it left the ship. Once they were airborne, she twisted in her seat to look out a nearby window. The sight brought tears to her eyes. Not even R’makl’z could compare to the view that was laid out before her now. Hundreds, if not thousands of multi-colored stars sprinkled the sky, illuminating the entire space around them. The planet that they were headed to was covered in a blue-green fog, swirling fervently over the surface. It was as if someone had taken a page directly out of a children’s book, and placed it into the area around her.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” His voice came from behind her, startling Ellie. Thanos was leaning over her chair, looking at the expanse before them as well.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Anything.”

“Your golden… glove. Gauntlet? Whatever you call it, where is it? I’ve never seen you leave a room without it.”

“It was a hazard and a risk I was unwilling to chance today. It is safely locked where only I can retrieve it. No need to worry.” He answered, unbuckling her straps. She had noticed that he had become more… intimate with her. She wasn’t sure why or where or how, but he didn’t refrain from touching her like he had before.

And she wasn’t sure if she liked it or not.

“Come, much awaits us below. We have arrived.”

The planet’s surface was just as colorful as it had been from space. Dozens of different species of aliens traversed the surface, speaking in so many different languages and dialects that Ellie found herself even more confused than before. But more than that, she was in awe at the diversity that sat before her. At one point, Maw broke away from them, leaving the two of them standing at the entrance to a _very_ large structure.

“This is the part, I’m afraid, you’re not going to like.” Thanos said eventually.

“Can you please tell me what’s going to happen?” She pleaded with him.

“It will be easier if you stay ignorant for as long as possible.”

“Thanos…”

He put her hand on her back in an effort to move her forward, but her feet stayed planted where they were. Thanos rubbed his temple, taking a deep breath before speaking again. “You know that I can, _and will_ , force you into doing my bidding. Please do not make it harder than it needs to be.”

Defeated, Ellie walked forward. She wasn’t sure what frightened her more: What lay ahead of them, or what Thanos was capable of doing to her, should she rebel.

Inside of the structure looked so much different to the world outside. The smell of decay hung in the air, men and women both limped through the halls, trailing blood behind them. She put a hand over her mouth to keep herself from gagging as she watched a man drag his detached arm behind him. “Where are we?” She said, reaching for Thanos. He slung his arm over her shoulders, drawing her closer to him.

“A lawless land.” He replied, leading her deeper into the depths of this god forsaken place. “But inside lies a prophet that is told to possess a power strong enough to answer any question asked of them. All you must do is win. Win the game of blood.” He paused. “My children have been searching for this place for a long while. We had heard echos of it, and it was suggested that this prophet could see what I need, but this place is… not easy to come by.” He laughed, his familiar dark laugh. “I’m sure you can tell why.”

He paused before another entrance, turning to face Ellie. “To enter, however, you need a collateral. Something worth much more than mere gold or silver.”

Slow realization dawned on her as she stood there. Horror spread throughout her face as she tried to back away from him. He was faster than her, however, and grabbed her arm before she could make a break for it. “You can trust me, My Ellie. This is a fight I will not lose. The collateral is returned to the victor, and you will be returned to me.”

She stood there, mouth agape. Hot tears stung her cheeks as he guided her forward. This was it.

This was where she would die.

A slug looking creature sat at the window (if one could even call it that), as Thanos approached. “I wish to enter the game.” He told her, his voice stern. “I am Thanos of Titan, and I have come to claim an answer from the prophet.”

“Your pledge, Thanos of Titan?” The slug’s voice was deep, nasally.

“My bride. She hails from Xandar, but she is half human. Her mother was a Terran. Pure blooded.”

“You wish to submit your bride as your offering?” They asked, peering over the spectacles that sat on their face. “With the knowledge that if you lose, she will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.”

“This is correct.”

Ellie was shaking now. Why had he lied about her species? She was a pure human, from Earth itself. What was about to happen to her?

“The offering will be escorted to the viewing box, so she may watch her fate as it rests in your hands.” The slug said grimly, and it was as if a trace of a smile lingered on their lips.

Thanos cradled Ellie’s face gently, but she refused to make eye contact with him. Her tears flowed freely now. “Don’t fight them.” He told her, pressing his lips softly against Ellie’s forehead. “If you are complicit, this will go smoother. And most importantly-” He paused, dropping his voice to a low whisper. “Don’t tell them where you’re from. Humans don’t last long around here. Even half Terran is appealing to these degenerates. I will return for you.”

“I bet.” She spat, tearing herself away from him.

The guards were rough with her, but it was no worse than she had first imagined Thanos being. They lead her to a small viewing box, where she was alone. They tossed her inside, slamming the door closed behind her. She approached the window, looking down at the grimy arena before her. Thanos was already in the ring, pacing back and forth as he awaited his contender. She had never seen him fight before, least of all without the gauntlet to give him a leg up in a battle. She took in a sharp breath as the gate opposite him opened, revealing the challenger.

It wasn’t human, or even humanoid. The creature looked feline, but didn’t have any fur. Instead, it’s body was covered in long, thick scales. Two tails splitting out at the base of its body, It snarled, approaching Thanos without fear.

Thanos also showed no hesitation as the creature drew nearer to him. He cracked his knuckles, an eerie grin appearing on his face. Ellie couldn’t bare to watch as the fight began. She heard screaming, roaring, and the gnashing of teeth. But, try as she might, she couldn’t take her hands away from her eyes. Horror swept through her as she awaited the final sounding of whoever would win.

A gong chime echoed throughout the arena, signaling. Steeling herself against the results, Ellie removed her hands, blinking twice before taking in the arena. The feline-esque creature lay in a heap, several guards coming to drag it away. Thanos stood victorious, wiping the sweat from his brow.

A red circle lit up above the arena, one of four. Four battles he had to win, four opponents he had to defeat. He had finished one. Only three more stood between him and his answers.

And her freedom.

She turned her back before the second fight began, unwilling, once more, to watch as her fate rested in Thanos’ ability to fight. The gong chimed again. This time, a long necked creature lay crumbled on the ground, Thanos standing triumphantly above the body. Guards  came once more to remove the fallen monster from the arena.

He looked up to where she stood, hands pressed against the glass. A sly smile crossed his face, and he winked up at her. Warmth spread across her cheeks and down her neck. She waved sheepishly, feeling quite silly all of a sudden. He rolled his shoulders, prepping for whatever waited for him behind the gate.

What was happening to her?

The third fight was over before it really began. It was a human, or at least someone that looked very human. Thanos was able to collapse them within seconds of the gate dropping.

She steadied herself with a deep breath, determined to watch the last fight. The final contender looked a little similar to earth’s Hulk, except he was much _much_ shorter. He roared, beating his chest with his fists. Thanos grinned, cracking his neck and widening his stance as the monster grew closer to him. Without hesitation, he launched himself at Thanos, using his hands to push himself off the ground. Thanos sidestepped him, grabbed the scruff of his neck and slammed him into the dirt. The creature bucked against Thanos, trying to knock him off balance and onto the ground. Thanos took his arm and with one smooth move tossed him a quarter-distance across the arena. However, his opponent was quick: charging at him before he could regain his balance, Thanos found himself defending against a series of rabbit-punches and face-grabs and soon he stumbled.

This proved to be his detrimental mistake. Before Thanos could rise the behemoth of a creature was on top of him, pinning him to the ground. He used his weight, knees on either side of Thanos’ heaving rib cage, to keep him still.

“No!” Ellie screamed from her balcony, pounding on the glass. The creature began to whale on Thanos, throwing punches at him from every direction. Pummeling his ribs, slapping his face, even scratching down his chest, there was no relief from the onslaught. The fists assaulting him were like iron, the nails like lava running down his skin.

Thanos roared in pain, his purple blood slicking the sand in bright, almost jovial patterns.

It was at this moment that he looked up and caught sight of her. She had her hands pressed to the glass, eyes wild with terror, tears streaming down her face. His heart skipped a beat and he knew he had to win this match at all costs.

For the both of them.

Ellie couldn’t stop the tears. She was going to lose him. She’d never seen him bleed. She could only think of how he lay there bleeding as the alien continued to destroy him. Every sound faded away, the rest of the arena blurred into nothing. She was alone with the images before her, of Thanos, _her Thanos,_  so far away on the packed dirt arena floor, dying.

And she couldn’t do a damned thing.

Suddenly, the behemoth opponent found himself rolling over unwillingly. His face transformed from an expression of rage to surprise and then to terror when he realized that the roiling shifting mass beneath him was waking up from a victim to a terrifying war-machine. Thanos was ready to kill him in an unstoppable fury now.

Having grabbed his fists when he twisted his hips to roll his opponent off him, Thanos now simply squeezed and crushed them. An unearthly screeching wail burst forth from his contorted face. Thanos showed no pity on his face, nor did he show any signs of giving up. His joints almost seemed to be liquid at this point from exhaustion. He carefully placed the now-mangled fighter’s fists beside his head on the ground and leaned over him. He wasn’t fighting back but wailing in agony. He head-butted his opponent, crushing his skull with one final blow.

And then he fainted.

He had done it. He had won. Four battles.

Four battles were over and he was alive and she was going to be _free._

Ellie shifted uncomfortably, a growing heat inside of her. She had _hated_ fights and wrestling when her dad used to watch it. But something about watching Thanos tear into this monster made her feel a way that she had _never_ felt before.

Suddenly, A platform lowered, a booming voice filling every crevice of the arena. “Hail to the victor!” The voice cried, and the audience cheered. Ellie found herself, too, hollering with the crowd. Thanos stood, covered in the monster’s (and his own) blood. “Who are your people, champion?”

“I am Thanos, of Titan.” He replied, firm in his words.

“Thanos of Titan, what do you wish to ask of the prophet?” The platform was low enough now that Ellie could see the prophet, the entire reason they were here. He was birdlike in stature, with a large nose peeking out from the hood of his robe.

“I wish to ask the location of the missing infinity stones.”

“Bold, you are, Thanos of Titan. A large question you ask of me. I will give you two. Two stones. Both located together. Both on Earth. But you have been to earth recently, Thanos of Titan, have you not? But retrieve the stones, you did not. Why, champion? What was your quest on earth?”

“I do not have to answer to you.” Thanos said, anger rising in his voice.

“Indeed, you do not. You have your answer, Thanos of Titan. Return to earth and finish what you have started. Accomplish this, I fear you will. May the gods have mercy on our souls. You may retrieve your offering now. She awaits you.”

Excitement bubbled up in Ellie as the doors opened. The guards ushered her out, and back down a narrow hallway. They said nothing, but neither did she. A door at the end of the hall slid open, revealing the bloody Titan. She grinned, looking back at the guards. They had halted in their tracks. Reading no queues from them at all, Ellie started towards Thanos. She watched as a grin stretched across his face at the sight of her. She couldn’t help herself as she started to pick up her pace to reach him. She herself was smiling now too. She truly thought she would never see him again, never have the opportunity to listen to him speak or ramble on. And she hated how much it had shook her to her core.

How much she might actually _care_ about him.

She was getting gradually faster, trying her hardest not to run to him. When she finally reached him, he took a step towards her, causing them to collide. In a swift, smooth motion, he used her momentum to hoist her up, winding an arm tightly around her waist. Her legs easily wrapped around his own waist as he lifted her up. She grinned down at him, feeling his other hand on the back of her neck. Before she knew what was happening, he pulled her down to him, and his lips were on hers. Her arms twined around his neck, holding the two of them in place in that moment. He kissed her slowly, carefully. And although there was quite definitely a difference in size between their two mouths, she had never experienced such a passionate kiss. He broke the kiss abruptly, however, setting Ellie back on her own two feet.

“I apologize for my actions.” Thanos said, clearing his throat as he did so. “I believe I was caught up in the emotions of winning.”

Ellie felt the blood flood her cheeks. “No, me too. I thought I might nev-”

“There they are!” A mechanical voice called, waving a weapon in their direction. “The Titan lied. She’s full human. The prophet himself said so.”

She looked to Thanos for any sign of directions or actions that needed to be taken. Anything at all. But all she could see was the gears turning. He was focused on something. “Thanos…” She started, taking a step closer to him. He grabbed her hand.

“Run.”

So she did. Hand in hand with the Titan, they ran across the muck and mud of the arena, dodging guards and aliens that wanted her for themselves. A pure human. As they grew close to the large archway of a door, Ellie’s heel snapped. “Shit!” She muttered, hobbling for a second before coming to a complete stop.

Thanos turned to look at her, “We have to move. _Now_.”

“I know, give me a second.” She snapped, ripping her shoes off. She gathered them both in one hand, took Thanos’ hand in the other and gave him a gentle squeeze. Running barefoot through an alien planet, holding the hand of an alien in one hand, and the hem of an alien dress (to keep herself from tripping) in the other, was definitely not how she saw this day ending.

But it was better than the outcome she _was_ expecting.

They were close, she could see the ship that they had arrived on. They just had to make it through the airlock doors, and they would be safe. The ship could take off and they would go back to the Sanctuary in one piece. Thanos looked back look over their shoulders before saying, “Don’t look back. Keep moving forward.”

Ellie tried hard as she could to keep her eyes on the ship they were headed for. Focus on what was in front of them. But, she might as well have been a pillar of salt, because she gasped as she glanced behind them. There had to be three dozen, if not more, aliens running after them now. Her heart sank. They were gaining on them every second. What would they do to her if they caught up? Thanos was powerful but there was no way he could fight off a small army of lust driven aliens without his gauntlet.

“Just a little more. Just a little faster.” Thanos called, and as he did, the worst thing Ellie could have imagined - happened. She stumbled, tripping over a loose piece of fabric. She cried out, as she hit the ground hard.

“Ellie!” Thanos growled, pulling her up by the arm. He wasted no time waiting for her to recover, instead, he crouched down, adjusted his hold on her, and hauled her up over his shoulder. She hollered at the sudden motion. His arm was wrapped around her thighs, holding her as she was jostled by his continuing movement.

Within several, large bounds, he had arrived at the ship. The airlock opened and they entered. The aliens continued to grow closer. Thanos pounded the button on the door, setting Ellie down next to him. The door began it’s slow descent, and Ellie shrieked as one of the pursuers tossed a lance in their direction. The door shut, snapping the spear in half as it closed.

“ _GO!_ ” Thanos roared, and the ship began to vibrate. Feeling the craft move underneath her, Ellie sunk to the ground. She put her head in her hands, covering her face. Thanos crouched down next to her. “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head, tears streaming freely. She opened her mouth to speak, but a harsh chuckle escaped her lips. She didn’t make any attempt to stop her laughter. Why should she? She had been used as a bargaining chip, watched as her literal life rested in the hands of a man who had kidnapped her days before, and then was chased by a gaggle of aliens that wanted to have their way with her, a pure human. She just _had to laugh._

What surprised her, was that Thanos joined in with her. He sat down next to her, and also allowed himself a freeing laugh. The two of them sat there for several moments, surrounded solely by the sounds of their laughter.

At one point, Ellie just pointed at the half of the spear that lay in the middle of the airlock, and laughed even harder, wiping the tears from her eyes. After she finally caught her breath, she wiped her eyes once more, and then stood up.

“We should be nearing the ship now.” Thanos said, standing as well. “Are you certain you’re uninjured?”

“A scrape here or there, but nothing that needs serious attention.” She said with a shrug.

The ship docked, and the airlock reopened, allowing them to walk freely amongst the ship. Ellie slipped her hand back through Thanos’ as they traversed the long hallways back to his quarters. He entered first, with Ellie trailing behind. The door shut, giving them their first moment of true privacy since this morning. Ellie perched herself at the edge of the bed, drawing her skirts up to look at her knees. Her tumble had scrapped them up pretty badly, but it wasn’t anything that required special medical assistance. Thanos moved to the side of the room, pulling his tunic off as he did so.

He winced, drawing in a sharp breath.

“Are _you_ okay?” Ellie asked, standing. Her dress was ripped in several places towards the bottom, and it created an odd sensation as she walked towards him. Thanos tossed his shirt to the ground, lifting his arm to see where he was injured. “Is it bad?” She inquired, reaching her hand out as if to comfort him.

Thanos took her wrist gently, moving her hand to his skin. “There is no blood, is there?” He asked softly. Ellie’s hand rested against the sinewy muscle of his side. She took in a deep breath, trying to focus her attention on her hand, and her hand only. She shook her head, allowing her hand to brush down his bare side.

“Then it is not a serious injury.” He replied, watching her carefully. He took a step away from her, taking her by the hand once more. He lead her to the bed, and her heart rate increased tenfold. She sat down on the edge once more, and he knelt before her, his hands on her knees. “May I?” He asked, bunching the ripped fabric up in his hands. “Forgive me, but I’m afraid I do not believe you when you say that you are not hurt.” She nodded again, and he drew the fabric of her dress up modestly, just above her knees. He brushed his thumb gently over the cuts on her legs. “I knew you lied to me.” He said, a hint of suggestion in his voice.

His eyes met her, and his brow furrowed in concern. “My Ellie, are you unwell? You’re flushed.” He lifted his hand to her cheek, cradling her face in his hand. Her breathing hitched as she sunk to the ground in front of him. When she spoke again, her voice was barely a whisper.

“Kiss me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank u if u made it this far. i'm sure u all know what's coming in the next chapter and i am SO ANXIOUS so if you have any tips for writing smut please send them my way 
> 
> i love you all and your comments and kudos literally mean the world to me.


	11. Mr. Jetsper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote this at 4am on my phone bc thats when the inspiration struck. so please forgive me for any wild spelling or grammatical errors. it’s waaay harder to find those on a phone. LOL
> 
>  
> 
> 12/18: if it feels like something’s missing here: it might be. i deleted the previous chapter for ~reasons~ so let me know if you’d like to read the forbidden chapter

She stirred, stretching her tired muscles. Doing this, she felt a lick of pleasurable pain sweep through her, reassuring her that last night _was_ real, and not just another wild dream.

“You’re awake.” His voice came from the side of the room. Thanos was sitting on the armchair near a desk, hands clasped and head down. Ellie sat up, stifling a yawn. She pulled the covers up with her, in an attempt to feign some kind of modesty.

“Why are you… over there?” She asked, trying not to sound as disappointed as she felt.

“I have been alive for a long time. Many different people have shared my bed. I have -”

“Cool.” She interrupted, her voice falling flat.

“Let me finish.” He scolded. “I enjoyed each of them in their own, sexual way.”

“I love this conversation so much, please keep going.” Ellie spat.

Thanos stood, walking back over to the bed. He stood at the end, almost glaring at her. “I never said that I would be your _lover_.” He responded to her, equally as hostile. “I did not _plan_ to share my bed with a _human.”_ The last word was filled with so much malice, it made Ellie’s stomach churn.

His features quickly softened, however. “I didn’t expect to enjoy it.” He held up a hand, stopping Ellie before she could comment again. “For it to make me _feel_ things that I haven’t felt in a very long time. Sex has always been just that, sex. A physical action satisfying a physical need.” He moved from the edge of the bed, standing near her now. “But you’re…” He trailed off, reaching out to brush his finger against her arm. “You are soft. Too soft. My Ellie, you are _breakable_.”

He pulled the sheets away from her, and she shivered. His finger continued lower, stopping at her hip. “I almost broke you.” He told her. Her eyes followed his arm to her hip. It was then that she noted the cause of her pain a few moments ago. Deep purple bruises spanned the length her hips, almost wrapping all the way around her waist.

Ellie looked up from her marks, watching his facial expression change. “I’d never lain with a human before. Not before last night.” He dipped his head, as if to kiss her.

Ellie wanted it.

But he did not, he pressed his lips innocently against her forehead, sighing. “It can’t happen again.” He said, dropping his hands from her side.

“Thanos…” She started, but did not have time to complete her thought as a loud knock echoed throughout his chambers. He walked to the door, leaving Ellie in the bed.

Maw stood outside the hydraulic lift, his face stoic as ever. He side stepped Thanos into the room. “My lord, you told me -” He stopped, eyeing a _very_ naked Ellie in his master’s bed. He sneered. “All women of Thanos have one purpose, and one purpose only.” An eerie laugh escaped his throat.

“Maw, did you come solely to mock my guest? Or have you brought information?”

“Apologies, my king. You asked me to report if any news came from SHIELD regarding Ms. Jetsper, yes?”

Thanos nodded, not sparing Ellie a glance. Her heart rate increased, nothing good could come from this. “We have received a transmission containing the name Jetsper. Perhaps her _highness_ should join us.” Maw bowed and then exited the room.

Thanos turned to face her, finally. “I am certain Misa has placed a robe in your closet. You should grab that quickly.”

“I’ll probably just find something else to wear…”

“I’m afraid we might not have the time.”

Ellie rose from the bed. Thanos was correct, there was a delicate looking floral robe in the front of her closet. It wasn’t modest at all, she tugged the hem down in an attempt to make it look longer.

“No one will be looking at you.” Thanos said, standing in the doorway. Ellie opened her mouth to respond but he cut her off. “Everyone on this ship knows the consequences of coveting something that belongs to me.”

“I don’t _belong_ to anyone.” Ellie retorted.

He smirked, reaching forward to grab the front lapels of her robe, pulling her against him. He lowered his head, lips inches from hers. Her eyes fluttered shut as she leaned in, involuntary.

Thanos laughed, “Don’t you though?” He asked, letting her go. “Fix your robe, you are immodest.” He chuckled once more before stepping out of the closet.

Ellie groaned loudly, rubbing her temples. If he wasn’t so… _him_ all the time. She tightened the sash around her waist and followed behind him. She was unaware of how time passed on a spaceship, but the halls were hustling and bustling with aliens of all different kinds. Most of them wore armor, and _all_ of them bowed in reverence to Thanos as he passed by.

“Hey could you wait up?” Ellie called, her bare feet padding the ground as she tried to catch up to him. “I’m going to get lost.”

“My dearest, we are almost there. No need to fret.” He said, offering his arm to her. She took it begrudgingly, trying her hardest not to scowl as she did so. They passed through a simple door frame, and into a room filled with screens. Someone handed Thanos a device that resembled a terran tablet. He passed it immediately onto Ellie.

“Not here. We will go somewhere else.” He said, placing a hand on the small of her back. “It’s never wise to receive bad news where it is inconvenient to react to it.”

Ellie’s face contorted in confusion, but obliged nevertheless. Thanos lead her down a familiar hallway, and into his throne room.

It looked so different now that it wasn’t filled with dozens of diplomats and oligarchs. The throne was solid rock, carved and placed here for him and him alone. Where the guests had sat a few nights prior, small lakes of water sat, reflecting the rooms surface. A small amount of light trickled in from holes in the ceiling, but other than that, it was dark and cold. “Go on.” Thanos called, pulling her out of her thoughts. “Have a seat.”

“In your chair? I’ll pass.” Ellie retorted, nerves beginning to cause her stomach to do flips.

“Sit.” He whispered, suddenly much closer to her than she remembered him being. She obeyed, her movements almost robotic as she made her way up to the chair. Sitting down, she crossed her legs as delicately as she could, trying to make herself as small as possible. “There, now we are in a safe place. What does the transmission say.”

Ellie fiddled with the device for a moment before finding the screen she was to read. The beginning of the message just recapped the events on earth. The _actual_ kidnapping, and then the events in the forest. They were claiming that “confusion” and “possible mind control” is what caused her to shoot at a SHIELD agent.

But as she read further, she felt a sadness rise in her chest. She’d read words like these before. But never in this way.

The tablet clattered to the ground, screen shattering.

Thanos was standing at the bottom of the throne room steps, watching her. “What does it say?”

Ellie blinked through a film of tears, trying to clear her vision.

“It’s my dad. He’s… He’s dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please know that i treasure each of u so much.


	12. “Cassie”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My readers seem to have GROWN dramatically. if you’re still around and didn’t quit after chapter 11, thank you! i love you! i hope youre enjoying reading this story as much as i’m enjoying writing it

She was vaguely aware of him kneeling down in front of her, of his hands on her arms. He might have even said her name or tried to speak to her, but she was so far off, that it didn’t matter. Her mind was reeling.

“I have to go.” Ellie said, standing abruptly. “My mom, she doesn’t have anyone else. I have to go.” She pushed passed him, heading for the door.

Thanos grabbed her arm, stopping her dead in her tracks. “You can’t go, Ellie. The funeral will be laced with SHIELD agents. It is unwise and unsafe”

“Man, screw you.” Ellie snarled, yanking her arm out of his grasp. “My _dad_ is dead, you absolute ass. Show a little compassion.” She continued towards the door.

It was easy for him to overtake her, his long strides overpowering hers. “You need to take your emotion out of this, and look at it logically, Ellie. You aided me in the forest. _You_ fired a shot at a SHIELD agent. For all we know, you could be a wanted woman on earth. It is a tragic loss you have suffered but we cannot risk it.”

“Don’t you understand?” Ellie said, trying not to break down. “You kidnapped me, and now my dad is dead. My mom has _no one._ She’s alone, Thanos. My grandparents have been dead for years, and I’m an only child. You want to force my mother to mourn this loss alone?”

Thanos pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling loudly. “We cannot go. You cannot go.”

“Please. There has to be a way.” She could feel the tears welling up again. She reached out, grabbing him by the hand. “Please, Thanos.” She begged, a sob catching in her throat.

He sighed once more, his face void of emotion. “Go wait in our -” A pause. “ _My chambers_. I will retrieve you when I am ready.”

“Thanos…” She started.

“Go.”

Slowly, she made her way back to his bedroom. She didn’t attempt to hide her sorrow any more. There was no reason to. Tears wet her cheeks as she entered the room, the door slamming behind her. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into the massive bed and never leave. But even the bed was tainted with now unpleasant memories. She sat herself in the massive armchair, curling her knees to her chest.

If she had never gone hiking that day, none of this would have happened. The kidnapping, the forest, the _sex._ None of it would have even been a speck of a thought in her mind. Maybe her dad would even still be alive. She had seen him go through so much, and survive. Maybe it was his daughter’s alien kidnapping that finally pushed him over the edge.

Some time passed before the door opened again, Thanos stepping in. In his hand were several bags. The same duffel bags that they had used to pack in her apartment. “Pack.” He said, tossing a bag towards her closet. “We leave when you are ready.”

“What?” Ellie asked, blinking away tears.

“Maw is in the process of connecting with Terran allies. They will find us a safe location to stay. We use the gauntlet and disguise ourselves.”

“We?” Ellie questioned, sniffling.

“I’m not going to let you go alone. That would be cruel of me.” He said, “Hurry.”

She scrambled to the closet, tossing a couple of black dresses into the duffel. She packed sleep clothes and everyday wear, too. Lugging her bag out of the closet.

“There’s one rule to this.” Thanos said, “No one can know that it’s you.”

“That defeats the whole purpose of even going.” She started, panic rising.

“I am taking you back to earth so that you can offer your mother comfort in her grief. No, it will not be as Ellie Jetsper, but at least you can see for yourself that she is okay. We could always not -”

“Shut up.” Ellie spat. “Just because you’re technically an alien overlord doesn’t mean you get to speak to me like that. We’re not regressing back to the cottage days just because you hated sleeping with me.”

Thanos chuckled, rising to his feet. “Grief makes you angry, dearest. Anger is powerful.” He held out a hand, taking her bag from her. “But for right now, we are expected in Tennessee.”

There was no warning, no walk to the spaceship hangar or prep time. He grabbed her around the waist, and clutched his hand into a fist, the stones glowing and then swallowing them whole. Ellie gasped, clutching onto the fabric of his shirt as they appeared on the other side of the portal. “One last thing.” Thanos noted, clutching the glove again. A red light surrounded the both of them, transforming them into two brand new people. “Now, let us go.”

Ellie looked around, it seemed that they had popped out behind a hotel, and a run down one at that. Thanos was removing the gauntlet, shoving it into her duffel bag.

Upon entering the check-in building, Ellie shivered. This place was so old, it was possible her grandparents stayed here when they first moved here. Thanos dropped a credit card on the counter, and Ellie made a mental note to ask him where he had gotten a credit card. The clerk grunted a response, handing them a room key and exiting.

Their room was lackluster. Two beds, a bathroom, a television. Only the necessities. She dropped her bag on the musty bed and caught a glimpse of her pseudo-self in the mirror. Her hair was long and blonde, her face thinner and her lips a much brighter shade of red. Thanos looked much different, too. His hair was jet black, curly locks framing his face. He was still built, perhaps even more so than he had been as Jason. “What am I?” Ellie asked, running her hands through her new hair. “Some manic fantasy of yours?”

“No. You are simple. You will blend in.” He took a step closer to where she stood, appearing in the mirror behind her. His hands hovered over her hips momentarily, before dropping back to his side. “I much prefer _you_.”

“What?” Ellie asked, twisting away from him. “What the heck? What’s wrong with you? Do you _want_ to sleep with me again? Not four hours ago you were telling me what a _huge mistake_ it was. No. No, you don’t get to say things like that to me anymore.” She stormed away from him, settling herself on the bed farthest from him. She steeled her eyes against the wall, and refused to look elsewhere.

She must have fallen asleep, bc she felt a gentle shake a long while later. “You need to get ready.” Was all he said. Begrudgingly, she got out of the bed, dragging herself to the bathroom. The sun was beginning to rise, dusty light filtering in through the windows.

Ellie exited the bathroom wearing a simple black dress that cascaded to the floor. Thanos was buttoning the jacket button of his suit. He procured a large handbag from one of the duffels, handing it to Ellie. “This bag does not leave your sight.” He told her, “This is an extreme lesson in trust, for me. I have not let the gauntlet out of my possession since acquiring it. Please…” he trailed off.

“Please…?”

“Please don’t make me regret it. Come now, we do not want to be late.”

“How are we getting there?” She asked, buckling the clasps on her shoes.

“I took the liberty of ordering us a taxi.”

“How in the world did you do that?” She stood, walking over to him.

“It took extreme precision and deft ability. I walked to the main lobby and inquired about taxi pick up.” Thanos smirked at her. “From there it was just a matter of telling the clerk the address we needed to arrive at.”

“Shut up I know how a taxi works.” She said, fighting back a smile.

“Are you ready?”

“Not at all.” Ellie took a deep breath. The jokes and bantering were comfortable to a degree, but they couldn’t distract her from the reason she was back in Shiloh. She had been able to distance herself back at the hotel. Use her anger and hurt she felt towards Thanos and block out the real pain she was feeling. But now, as they sat in the back of the taxi, there was nothing to distract her.

Tears gathered in her eyes once more, threatening to fall. She kept her head facing the window, refusing to let Thanos see her cry. They arrived, exiting the taxi. The funeral home was simple. Ellie started in, but he grabbed her by the hand, spinning her around.

“Compose yourself.” He said softly, brushing tears off her cheeks. “You are not Ellie. Not right now.” She nodded, taking several deep breaths.

“I’m ready.”

They entered the building. Soft piano music played in the background, as several people talked quietly amongst themselves. The casket was closed, causing Ellie to gasp. She felt a hand on her hip, anchoring her. “You’re okay.” He whispered into her hair. “You’re okay.”

Her mom was standing near the casket, speaking to a friend of the family. Ellie looked back at Thanos, who nodded once.

They made their way over to where she stood. The family friends walked away, and allowed for Ellie to step forward.

“Hi.” She said, smiling softly to her mom.

“Hello, I’m so sorry but I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Erin.” Her mom replied

“No, no we haven’t. I worked for Mark for a little while. I interned under him. I’m Cassie.” Ellie took a slow breath. “I was absolute devastated when I heard the news.” A rogue tear escaped, causing Ellie to panic.

“We all were, my dear. It was even harder to bear without my Ellie around.” Erin watched her carefully. “Cassie, will you take a walk with me? I need some fresh air. Surely this kind gentleman won’t mind.”

Thanos shrugged, catching Ellie’s eye before they left. “Hold my bag, William?” Ellie asked, offering an unspoken treaty between them. He smiled.

“Of course, my darling.”

Erin and Ellie walked out a back doorway, into a small garden. “I miss her.” Erin mused, breaking away from Ellie to admire a flower.

“I can’t even imagine.” Ellie said, biting her bottom lip.

“Do you think he’s hurt her?” Erin asked, turning suddenly to face Ellie. “Cassie, do you think he’s hurt my Ellie?”

“N-no. No I don’t think so.” She spluttered. “She’s probably valuable to him? Maybe. I don't know really.”

“Maybe… Cassie, do you think she’s safe?”

Ellie was starting to get a little worried now, “I, I don’t know, Mrs. Jetsper.”

“Cassie.” Erin was oddly close to her now. “Is she happy?”

“Mrs. Jetsper I… I can’t answer that”

“Yes you can, Cassie.”

“I didn’t know Ellie, but Mark always talked about her like she was an optimist. I would think someone like that would try to make the best out of whatever situation they’re in. Even if they miss their parents a whole lot.”

Erin grabbed Ellie and pulled her into a tight hug, smothering her.

“It’s a trap, Ellie. You need to go. Now.”


	13. A Thousand Years

Ellie stepped back, “What?” She spluttered, trying to cover up her tracks. How had she given herself away? Her mother offered her a soft smile, but nothing more. She gave no explanation, no insights.

All she said was, “Run.”

Ellie moved quickly. Trying not to move so fast as to alert whatever undercover agents were lying about. She pushed past a gaggle of people and to where Thanos stood. “We need to leave, my dear.” She said, stretching up on her toes to whisper in his ear. “It’s time for us to depart.”

His face echoed a similar confusion that hers had moments ago, but he did not argue. He offered her bag back to her, but she turned it down. “I think it’s best if you keep it for a while longer, darling.” She said through clenched teeth. He nodded.

She hoped he understood, because she took him by the hand and carefully pulled him behind her. “Call that taxi back.” She said once the door to the funeral home shut behind her.

“They aren’t returning until later on.” He retorted, still looking confused.

“We need to leave. Now.” Ellie said, feeling the panic beginning to creep into the back of her mind. But he didn’t move, he stood anchored to his place. She groaned. “Do you remember the conversation we had at _home_ yesterday?” She asked him.

“Yes? What of it?”

“Do you remember how you said that in careers like ours, sometimes people take the low road, and we have to _escape_ from their _traps_ so they don’t drag us down with them?”

“That’s not quite what we were talking about, my dearest.”

“Listen. To. Me.” Ellie said, her words short. “I feel _trapped_ in this place. In this town. _We should leave._ ”

“Oh…” Thanos said, musing. If a light bulb could have pinged on over his head, it would have, as sudden realization dawned over him. “Oh!” He said, grabbing her by the hand and yanking her down the small flight of steps. They quickly removed themselves from the area, and ducked behind a small drug store a few blocks down the street.

“What’s the plan?” Ellie asked, resting her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. Thanos ran a hand through his ragged black locks, groaning as his fingers tangled up in them. This caused Ellie to chuckle. “Not used to having hair?” She asked, grinning.

He shot her an awful look before settling into a soft smile. “It’s been a while. Probably over a millennium since I have had hair.” He took a breath, pausing as if to think about the question. “Never. I’ve never had a head of hair. That’s what I’m getting at.”

“Woah woah woah woah. Hold up.” She said, standing up straight. “Are you telling me you’re almost a _thousand years old_?”

“Over.” Was all he replied, the smug grin still on his face.

“Holy sh-” She started, before she was cut off by a large hand on her mouth. He pulled her against him, and back into the shadows of the alley they were in. She didn’t fight him. She pretty much knew now that Thanos seemed to know what he was doing. In that moment, she hated the way she relished the closeness between them. It was a terrible, life threatening situation, yet her heart skipped a beat because of his hand wrapped tightly around her waist.

Two men in suits passed by them, one holding a phone and speaking very quickly into it. Thanos dropped his hand, giving Ellie space to turn and make eye contact with him. She furrowed her brow, as if asking a question.

He responded with a nod, his expression no longer lighthearted. They passed by, but the silence hung in the air for several more moments before either of them said anything.

“We should probably…” Ellie started.

“Yeah we should go.” He finished her thought, taking her by the hand and onto the sidewalk. “Back to the hotel.” He said, waving a taxi down.

“Why the hotel?” She asked, sliding in next to him. She waited as he gave the address to the driver.

“It’s cheap.” He said, shooting her a look that told her not to question it any further.

“We’re still not done talking about this age difference, though.” She said, elbowing him playfully in the side. His smile returned once more, and he reached for her hand.

They rode the rest of the way in silence, Thanos tipping the driver as they arrived. They slipped into the room, locking the door behind him.

“Why the hotel?” She asked again, sitting down on the edge of her bed to remove her heels.

“This place is skeevy. It’s a dive. They keep no records of who is here. The credit card is a scam card, programed to read accurately for a few days and then the number shuts itself down. They won’t know our names or who we are. Until tomorrow morning, it’s our best bet to lay low. They’ll be watching the reality shifts and patterns tonight. Watching the skies for ships. If we’re here, they won’t find us. At least not anytime soon.” He too sat down, removing the gauntlet from the satchel. Sliding it onto his hand, he sighed, clenching his fist and allowed both he and Ellie to return to themselves.

“Oh yeah, and a bright red light sparkling through the window isn’t going to cause any sort of alarm at all.” Ellie said, rolling her eyes. Thanos chuckled, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck.

“How did you know?” Thanos asked her, seating himself at the end of one of the beds. “How did you know it was a trap?”

”My mom, she told me.” Ellie responded, running a hand through her hair. “She told me to run.”

”And did you disclose information?”

”No... no I didn’t. Why didn’t she try to keep me there?” She asked him, the events of the day beginning to catch up with her. 

“Parents have a way to knowing what is best for their children, even before they know it.” Thanos answered, but his voice was heavy with disdain.

“I think I’m gonna take a shower.” She said, standing, finding any way to be alone for a moment.

“Room for two?” Thanos asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Don’t speak to me ever again.” Was her response, sticking her tongue out at him.

She closed the door and turned on the shower. Leaning against the frame, she sighed, allowed her eyes to close. The peaceful, albeit musty sanctuary the bathroom offered was welcoming to her. She peeled off her funeral clothes and stepped into the shower. She found herself highly disappointed by the temperature, and the pressure, and honestly just the shower itself. But what was she expecting for a half-a-star establishment?

Once again, she found herself overcome with emotions, but she wasn’t sure what do to with them. Was her father really dead? Was the whole thing a setup to try and catch Thanos? Why wouldn’t her mom have wanted that?

She pulled on a night shirt as she exited the bathroom, toweling her hair and she did so.

“Miss me?” She asked, plopping herself down on her bed, trying desperately to distract herself.

“The moments without you were pure agony.” He responded, his words dripping with sarcasm.

“Hey, you don’t have to be a butthole.” She responded, tossing her wet towel at him. He grabbed it without looking up, his reflexive instincts stronger than anyone she had ever met.

”Do you think he’s dead?” She asked him abruptly. “My dad.”

Thanos sighed, “I do not know. Had I been pulling a stunt like this, I would not have needed to drop a body to complete it.” He paused for a moment, looking over to where she stood. “And a closed casket leads me to believe there was not a body to show off.”

Ellie nodded, trying to remain neutral. “What are we supposed to do?” She changed the subject, flopping back on the stuff mattress, her legs dangling off if the edge of the bed.

“Wait.” Was all he offered.

The time passed by so slowly. They watched television for a while, a riveting series of episodes of a weather channel show. Ellie napped a little off and on. They ordered carryout. When it was finally an acceptable time to sleep, she shut the television off and curled up under her blanket.

“No sharing tonight?” Thanos asked, attempting to get comfortable on the too-small-for-him bed.

Ellie grumbled a response, which consisted of “I finally get an entire bed to myself” and “You take up too much room anyways.”

She drifted quickly, pure boredom allowing her to fall asleep fast. She wasn’t sure how long she has slept for, however, when a loud crack of thunder echoed in their small room.

She shot up, taking a moment to get her bearings. The rain was pelting the window heavily, and she could hear the wind howling outside. “Sounds like a bad one.” His voice came from the bed besides her, causing her to jump.

“It’s just a storm.” Ellie said, waving her hand. Not that he could see her through the blanket of darkness between them, though. “Did it wake you?”

“Indeed. While I have experienced storms before, Terran storms worry me.”

“There is no way that Thanos the Mad Titan is scared of a thunderstorm.” Ellie retorted, trying her best not to laugh.

“No, not the storm. Terran buildings are made _so_ terribly. This one could crash down around us before the storm even reached its climax.”

“Really, climax was the only word you could think to use in that sentence?”

“My biggest fear is plucking glass shards out of you when that window shatters.” He told her. A flash of lightning illuminated the room for a split second, and she could see genuine concern on his face. “Come here, please.” Another flash showed that he was offering a hand to her. “I promised to keep you safe, and I can’t do that if you’re over there.”

“Thanos,” She started with a yawn. “I can guarantee you that this storm isn’t going to be the thing kills me.”

“Ellie, please.” He sounded so serious that she was taken aback. Begrudgingly, she left the warmth of her own bed, and crawled in besides him, shimmying beneath the covers. “Isn’t that better?” He asked. “Wait.” He reached over her and grabbed the gauntlet off of the table, clutching a fist. The red gem shone through the darkness before shimmering over the bed. The wood frame stretched and groaned until it was big enough for the both of them.

Or mostly just Thanos, Ellie already fit.

He removed it once more before laying down. “There,” He remarked, “Now we can both rest without disturbing the other.”

She scoffed before scooting closer to him. “You and I both know that this is how we would end up anyways. Why waste time?” She asked as she curled up against his side, placing her cheek on his chest. He hummed contently, rubbing her back with his hand.

Ellie tried to fall back asleep, but the storm was too loud for that. “Thanos?” She whispered, not wanting to wake him if he was already asleep.

“Yes, my Ellie?”

She chewed on her bottom lip for a second before answering. “I want to ask a question, but I don’t want… I don’t want anyone to be mad.”

“You know that you may always speak freely, dear heart.”

She wondered if this was the right time. She didn’t know if there would _ever_ be a right time to ask him this. But she felt like she deserved to know if she were to continue sharing his bed.

“What are the stones for?” She asked finally, her stomach doing anxious somersaults.

A crack of thunder rolled through the room, making the atmosphere appear even more tense.

He sighed, “A long time ago, I was handed a destiny. Tasked with the hardest deed I would ever, _could_ ever accomplish. And with the stones, once I retrieve all six of them, my task, while still daunting, will become simpler. Easy.”

“What is it that you have to do?” Ellie pried.

She felt his hand move to her cheek, his thumb rubbing soft circles against her skin. “Another time, dearest one. That is a story for another time.”

“Thanos.” She said, sitting up. “Thanos, I have put a _lot_ of trust in you. Maybe now you can put some trust in me?”

A heavy groaned escaped him, as he followed suit in sitting up. “I just don't think that you’ll understand” He said. A bolt of lightning lit the room up, and she caught a glimpse of his expression. Solemn. Downtrodden.

She reached out into the darkness, looking to reassure him. “We can’t know that unless you tell me, Thanos. Trust me, please.”

“This world, my world, every planet across this universe. It’s too much. There are too many mouths to feed and too few resources to provide what those mouths need. I can bring balance. I can save lives for eons to come, but it means taking lives now. In the present.”

He paused, waiting for a comment from Ellie.

She stayed silent.

“I thought I could simply create more resources. Use the stones and their infinite power to constantly create food, shelter, water. But even the stones need to be fed, even they need an energy source. I would run out eventually. I did the math for years, trying to find a solution where everybody lives, Ellie. But it doesn’t exist. For planets, for societies, for _life_ to continue to succeed, people must be eliminated.”

“Why does it have to be you?” She asked, finally. Her voice faint. The sound threatening to get lost in the storm.

“I’m the only one strong enough to act on it. It is terrible. It’s painful and it’s unfair, sometimes. But I have been chosen for this. I must complete this task. Do you understand, Ellie? This is not something that I _want_ to do. It is something I _must_ do.”

She nodded, dumbfounded by his answer.

“You must think I’m a monster.” He continued with a dark chuckle.

“Have you killed people before?” She asked, steeling herself for the answer.

“I have. And I will have to do it again before my task is complete.”

“Were you going to kill me?”

“No. Even as you walked through the door in the woods, I knew you would be important to me. I believed this was for diplomatic purposes, however. Not that you and I would grow to care for one another.”

“Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Do you care about me?”

He smiled, she couldn’t see it, but she could hear it when he spoke again. “More than you know, My Ellie. More than you could know.”

She nodded, laying back down in the bed. Her mind reeled as she lay there, watching lightning dance around the room. She has always assumed that he was the bad guy, and in many ways she was still right about that but…

Didn’t the bad guy normally take pride in his criminal accomplishments? Thanos’ heart felt so heavy as he shared with her just now. There was no pride in his words, no malice or hate for any single species of man.

He sounded… _conflicted_.

She took a deep breath, rolling on her side to face where he was still seated. “So…” She started, waiting until a burst of light to make sure she had his attention.

“A thousand years old, really?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmmmmmmmmmm it’s been so long since i pushed out a chapter and i’m not as content with this one as i wanted to be but, this is what i wanted to happen. i just didn’t care for the way the words came out of my fingers. oh well. love you ALL SO MUCH


	14. The Stones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is SUPER dialogue heavy, so be warned and tread carefully. Ellie's got a lot of questions now that she knows whats going on.

Upon waking up, Ellie reached out for him, but only to find the bed empty. She sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as her heart sank. This wasn’t the first time he had vanished without a trace, and she had an inkling it _might_ not be the last. Unless, of course, he was gone for good. But this time, she didn’t fight back the feeling of remorse. This time she allowed herself to be sad at the thought of losing him.

She rose, stretching as she stood. She made her way to the window, pulling the curtain aside to check for any signs of him. She grinned as she saw his human form, struggling to open the door while holding a bag and two coffee cups.

She opened the door, taking the coffee out of his hand. “Good morning.” She smiled, shutting the door behind him. “Where did you find this?” She asked, waiting for him to fetch the gauntlet and revert to himself once more.

“There’s a small restaurant down the road, grabbed us some breakfast.” He replied, setting himself on his bed. Ellie followed suit, sitting on other bed, using the nightstand as a coffee holder. She crossed her legs, digging through the bag.

“I have… some questions.” She started, dividing up the food. “About everything.”

“I assumed that you would.” Was his reply, opening up what appeared to be a type of biscuit.

“You don’t have to answer them.” She spluttered, nervous all of a sudden.

“My Ellie, I will answer every question you ask me, as truthfully as I am able to do.”

“So there are things you can’t tell me?”

“As I live and breathe, I will keep no more secrets from you.” He told her, dropping his food back on his plate to look her in the eyes.

“Isn’t that foolish though? I’m a human. What if I’m working with SHIELD?”

“Are you?”

“No, but how can you know that?”

“I have interacted with a _lot_ of secret agents in my time. But none that have been so… _convincing_ in the bedroom, dearest.” Her face flushed a deep red and she ducked her head, avoiding his steady gaze now. “What are your questions?”

“They’re mostly dumb, I think. Like when you balance the universe, will that take animals with it?”

“‘Animals’ is a term only _truly_ used on Terran planets. Other species are so vast and innumerable that some of them would appear animalistic in your eyes, but have civilizations far more advanced than anything you see here on Earth.” He replied, ripping a chunk of bacon in half.

“Ok, wait sorry - let me try again. Dogs and cats and lions and zebras. Will they get… snapped?”

He nodded, holding up a finger as he swallowed his food. “I believe that they will. All species are making up this universe, and taking up resources. So they must be balanced.”

“What about the planets you balanced… manually? Will they have to suffer a loss again?”

He paused, furrowing his brow in thought. “Ellie, I had not considered that. I… I do not know the answer to this question. You have stumped me.”

Ellie stood, brushing her crumbs onto her hand as she began to clean up her mess. She offered a hand to take Thanos’ too. She was avoiding his gaze now. There were only two more questions she had for him, and they were the ones that were hanging the heaviest on her heart.

Mostly because she was afraid she already knew the answer.

“You are troubled, my Ellie. Speak freely. What else do you have to ask of me?”

When she finished cleaning up the breakfast remnants, she leaned against the wall, watching Thanos as he shuffled awkwardly about the room. “Children, too?” She asked him, quiet.

“The good thing -” He said with a heavy sigh, “- if you can call it a good thing, about the gauntlet is it is no longer for _me_ to decide whose life is lost in the balance. I control the weapon, but the stones make the decision. So yes, most likely, children too.” He answered, now he was the one avoiding her gaze.

“And me? What if I get chosen by the stones?” Her voice quivered at the end.

“I’ll find a way to bring you back to me.”

“That’s unfair then, isn’t it? To use the power you have fought others for, so that the stones can do your _personal_ bidding?” He was closer to her now, she shifted so that her back was against the wall.

He took a step towards her, his body pressed flush against her own. He took her face in his hands, dipping his head low. “I am only a man, my dear.” He muttered, before sweeping her up into a breathtaking kiss.

Her thoughts swirled as their mouths moved together, her hands winding around his neck, holding him close to her. He hummed a note of praise as she did so, his hands moving slowly from her face and down her sides before settling on her hips. She felt herself being lifted, her legs wrapping around his midsection, and his hands gripping her backside. He gave her a gentle squeeze, causing her to gasp against his lips.

“I thought - “ She started, breathlessly, pulling away from him “- I thought you said this was a mistake.” She said finally, his lips leaving her mouth and finding the sensitive spot on her neck.

He laughed, “I changed my mind.” He told her, nipping at her skin. Ellie bit her lip, her mind too focused on the devilish things he was doing to her throat to be worried about what he had said earlier.

Before they could get any further, however, a loud knock echoed throughout the room. Thanos growled, releasing his hold on Ellie and setting her back on the ground. He stomped towards the door.

“Wait!” Ellie whispered, gesturing to him. “Don’t open the door looking like _that_!”

“Into the bathroom.” He demanded, grabbing the gauntlet off of the bedside table and entering the small bathroom. Once again, they were in very close proximity.

The knock was louder this time, followed by a voice shouting “Federal Agents! Open up!”

“We could just ignore them.” Thanos said, his eyes were almost glazed over with a familiar hunger.

“We can’t. They’ll knock down the door.” Thanos groaned, but quickly used the gauntlet to change them into the people that had entered the hotel room last night. “Go, go get the door. I’ll be right behind you.” Ellie told him, grinning.

He left the bathroom and she could hear him attempting to speak to the agents through the door. In the meantime, Ellie stripped herself of all her clothes and hopped in the shower, doing her best to get as drenched as possible in the shortest amount of time. She shivered as the cold water hit her skin. Leaving the shower on, she stepped out and wrapped a _very_ small towel around her chest. It fell just atop her thighs, leaving very _little_ to the imagination. “Babe?” She called loudly from the bathroom, opening the door. “Are you coming?”

She made her way to the door, dripping water everywhere as she did so. “What’s going on?” She asked, tightening the towel around her. She was at the door now, peaking around human Thanos and to where the agents stood outside. “William, what’s happening?” She asked, grabbing a hold of his arm. “What do they want?”

Thanos turned to look at her, his eyes traveling down her body and back up again. She caught him, briefly, pausing on the cleavage visible from the top of the towel. Playfully, she swat at his arm. “Later, _Romeo_.” She said with a wink. “Is there something wrong, officers?”

“They’re asking if we were at the funeral yesterday.” Thanos told her, shrugging.

“For Mark Jetsper.” One if the agents added, shifting uncomfortably.

“We were at the visitation, but we didn’t stay for the funeral itself.”

“And how do you all know Mr. Jetsper, ma’am?”

Ellie smiled, “I worked for him a while back. William is just my fiancé. He came for moral support. Plus, he works so much that we _never_ get any time together.” She shrugged, dragging her finger up Thanos’ arm. “If that’s all, officers.” She drawled, winking at the men outside their door. “We _were_ kinda in the middle of something.”

They nodded an awkward good day before leaving, Thanos slamming the door behind them. Ellie tried to make her way back to the bathroom but he grabbed her wrist, spinning her around so that she was backed up against the door. “What the _hell_ was that?” He asked, growling.

“I just helped you out of a situation that you were _bound_ to get us killed in.” She snapped, anxious butterflies sprouting in her stomach as he leered at her. He placed his hands against the door, on either side of her head.

“I had everything fully under control.” He said through clenched teeth.

She laughed, “You absolutely did not. What was _your_ plan to get out of that mess?”

“Where I come from -” He started, speaking slowly and precisely, “Women that speak out of turn in such a manner get punished.”

“Oh yeah?” She mocked, finding herself feeling a little more confident when he was in his human disguise. “Who’s going to punish me? You? You couldn’t hurt me if you wanted to.”

He leaned down close to her, his mouth inches from her ear. “Get on the bed.” He whispered, his breath hot against her ear.

“Aren’t you going to _change_ first?” She asked, giving his scrawny human form a once over. “You’re hardly menacing like _that."_

He growled again. “I’m not going to _break you_ , Ellie. You just need to be put in your place.” A wicked grin crossed his face. “It will be easier this way.”

Ellie smiled, ducking past him. He turned to watch her leave, but was left surprised when she did not stop where she was told to. She stopped at the bathroom door, winking before scooting in.

“Ellie…” His voice scolding.

When she re-emerged from the bathroom, she was holding the gauntlet in both hands, grinning wildly. “I guess…” She started, moving as if to put the gauntlet on. “I could _make_ you change first.”

“Ellie, that is not a plaything. That is a weapon.” He told her, taking a few steps forward.

“So I shouldn’t put it on?” She said, wiggling her eyebrows as she shoved her hand into the glove. It was way too big for her, threatening to fall off as she balanced it.

“You could wipe out all of Tennessee if you are not careful.” More steps forward.

“What are you gonna do about it? I’d just be making your life easier.” She retorted quickly, crooking a gloved finger in his direction, beckoning him.

“Take it off.” He said, shortly.

“No.” She clutched her hand into a fist, focusing her entire mindpower on Thanos, her _alien_ Thanos. The red stone sparkled on the glove, returning him to normal. She quickly followed suit to return herself to Ellie. Before making eye contact with Thanos again.

“If you’re finished playing…” He said, glaring at her.

“Get on the bed.” She told him, trying her best to echo his statement from earlier.

“I don't take orders from humans. _Especially_ not orders in the bedroom.” He told her, planting his feet.

“What are you going to do? Force me?” She mocked him again, curling her fingers in the gauntlet.

“Yes.” A grin appeared on his visage again, and he was in front of her. He gripped her around the waist. “You’re wearing significantly _less_ than me, my dear.” Using his free hand, he settled his finger between her breasts, gripping the thin hotel towel between his thumb and his finger. “It wouldn’t take much forcing.” He breathed against her skin, pushing her gently into the bed. The towel untangled around her as he did so, he tossed it to the side without a second thought.

She grinned at him from the bed, sticking her tongue out in a childish fashion. He crawled in over her, hovering as his eyes scanned her face. “I have told you my plans, my destiny and my purpose, and still you would sleep with me?” He asked, a softness leaking into his features.

“Everybody’s got something.” She said with an alluring shrug, dragging a golden finger up Thanos’ arm. She enjoyed watching pinpricks of pleasure appear on his skin as she did so. “Maybe it’s Stockholm Syndrome. Maybe I’ve always had a thing for the bad boys. Maybe Maw’s got me under some kind of alien spell.”

“Let’s… not talk about Maw in the bedroom.” Thanos replies with a chuckle.

“The way I see it. You’re _powerful._ Even the prophet on that disgusting planet said you’re going to succeed. I’d be a fool if I didn't side with the winner when offered the chance.” She said, using her still-gloved hand to pull his face down to hers.

“So it’s about power?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow. He grinned, flipping them over so that she was straddling his waist. Ellie made a motion to remove the glove, feeling his hips begin to buck against her. “No.” Thanos said sternly, running his tongue over his bottom lip in hunger.

“Leave it on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tbh i'm so excited for end game ellie and how her character will develop along the way. i had a comment a LONG time ago asking me how she will change or if she'll evolve past just the romance character in the story. maybe you can start to sniff out what she will be.


	15. Is This It?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is a short one, and kind of awkward at that. I needed to segway into the events of Infinity War, but since this is a story from Ellie's POV it was a little bit harder to do that. oh well

Ellie was half asleep when she heard a slight crash. She forced herself awake, sitting up in the bed. She was curled up against a seated Thanos, flipping through television channels like he had been doing it his whole life. “What’s happening?” She asked, rubbing her tired eyes. He smiled softly, gesturing to Ebony Maw, standing in front of their hotel TV. She half hoped that she was delirious, and that exhaustion was causing her to see her least favorite alien in their hotel room.

“It seems as though Maw has brought us a message.” He said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before standing. Ellie turned a crimson red when the sheet disappeared from his body, and left him nude in front of the both of them. Their morning had been spent very… _intimately_. She laid back down, pulling the blanket up past her head, hoping desperately to disappear from this conversation.

“I’m glad to see that your father’s funeral was so… _productive_ , Ms. Jetsper. They say that people mourn in all sorts of ways but I have to admit… copulating with an alien warlord is a new one, even for me.” She couldn’t even see him, but she knew he was sneering at her, grinning his ugly, toothy grin.

“Again, Maw, I am forced to ask you - did you come solely to mock my… Ellie, or did you bring news?” Thanos asked.

His sickening smile crossed his face once more. “The Asgardian Ship. Loki. We’ve located it. Him. He is fleeing from Asgard. His brother, the god of Thunder, he created Ragnarok, and in doing so, sent out the most precarious distress signal. We are honing in on the direct coordinates now.”

“So this is the beginning.” Thanos said. Ellie felt the weight of the bed shift as he sat back down. “Gather the rest of my children. We’ll meet you back at the ship.”

She pulled the blanket away, sitting up. She tried her hardest to look nonchalant and at least the littlest bit brave. “Is this it?”

“This is… a side objective. I have already obtained what I need from Asgard.” He passed a thumb over the blue stone mindlessly, “There’s just a score to settle.” He smiled over at her, holding out a hand. “Quickly, we mustn’t waste time. Collect your things.”

They hustled about the room, packing up the remnants of their belongings. Ellie tugged a grey dress over her head, fidgeting impatiently as she waited for the jump. He took her by the hand, offering her a gentle smile before the rift swallowed them both whole.

They were spit out back on the Sanctuary, in their quarters. Thanos immediately set to work on fastening his armor into place. Ellie dropped her bag on the ground, placing herself on the edge of the bed. “Do you need any help?” She asked, unsure of what her role was becoming in this situation. Was she officially his accomplice? Did the whores of villains help them suit up for battle?

There wasn’t a “Dating a Super Villain for Dummies” book that she could have picked up before they arrived here, she didn’t know what the protocol was.

“I do not, dear Ellie. I am accustomed to prepping alone.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“I do not, dear Ellie.” He repeated, turning to give her a wink.

She smiled at the comfortable interaction. She was also beginning to get accustomed to a certain way of living, but she was afraid it was one that couldn’t be sustained for long. She caught a glimpse of his helmet, sitting on the table where he left it several nights prior. She slipped from her spot, taking the helm in her hands. Sitting down in Thanos’ chair, she used the fabric of her dress to polish away a smudge. “Is this where your destiny begins?” Ellie asked, hyper fixating on his helmet, so she didn’t have to look at him.

“It began long ago, my Ellie. Now is when everything jumps into overdrive. The location of the Asgard ship means the Asgardians can be balanced, a feat which I have dared not try. And Loki… let’s call him collateral damage. Today I send my children to earth to find two of the stones, and I travel to Knowhere to seek information from an _old friend_.”

“And me?”

“You…” He said, kneeling down in front of her. “You stay here. You stay safe. I will return before everything is said and done, trust my word on that.”

“But…” She started.

He took her chin gently in his hand, turning her gaze towards him. “I need my helmet, angel of mine.” She drew in a shaky breath, trying her best to smile. He ducked his head, a smile settling across his face. “Well?” He asked, turning his head slightly.

She slid the armor over his ears and secured it on his head. He rose, seeming several feet taller now that he was fully armored. She had only seen him like this twice before. Once in the meadow, once in the arena. And both times it sent chills down her spine.

She stood up in the chair she was in, allowing her to tower over him, if only barely. She didn’t know where the sudden feelings of remorse and anxiousness had come from, but seeing him off was giving her the worst feeling in her gut. “Hey.” She said, holding out a hand towards him.

Thanos took it, drawing closer to her. “Hey.” He responded, his gloved hands on her hip.

“Come back?” She said, worrying her bottom lip.

“I always do.”

He stole a quick kiss, lingering a little longer than anticipated, before disappearing out the door. Ellie sunk down into the chair, curling her knees to her chest. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she had a sinking feeling that everything thus far had been easy.

Especially compared to what might be coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> after this i'll probably have a teeny time jump to after the events on knowhere. 
> 
> i love you guys so frickin much. sorry that it took so long for me to update! i'm an actual teacher so getting back into the swing of the school year was rough. but now i've got almost a month under my belt and i'm feeling good!


	16. The Stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoops i went and added a whole extra chapter in like 2 days. guess i got excited. after this there will be like 1.5 more chapters centered around infinity war before we veer off into uncharted territory. i hope u guys are as ready as i am!

They made love the night he returned back to the ship. Two days passed while he was away, and he came back different. Another stone twinkled in his gauntlet. Three now. Reality. Space. Power. At least - that’s what he told her. The way he touched her was different. He was ravenous, desperate to hold onto any part of her he could, crush her against him as if she would disappear otherwise.

She didn’t mind. She had missed him while he was gone. But she couldn’t help but think he had changed in more ways than just the stones. He entered through the door, which he had only done when he was on another part of the ship. That meant he attended to other matters before returning to his quarters. That didn’t upset or surprise Ellie, she knew that she did not rank high on his list of things to do at the moment. But he entered through the door somber. His face cast downward and his heart heavy. She took her place next to him as he sank down on the edge of the bed. She didn’t speak, she just placed her hand on top of his arm, offering a silent condolence. He looked at her, and a fire flashed inside his eyes before he had pulled her into his lap, crushing his mouth against hers with a hunger she had never experienced from him before. 

She shrunk back from his touch when he tore her clothes from her body, eliciting a whimper from her. She knew that he carried the power of the gods now, but he had never been rough with her. Not like this. He stood abruptly, removing himself from the room. She regretted now, having pulled back. She knew he wouldn’t have hurt her.

Thanos returned moments after, kneeling on the ground before her. “I’m sorry.” He said quietly, taking her hand and kissing the inside of her wrist gently. “I’m sorry.”

“Let’s start again.” She whispered, smiling softly at him. There was still a hunger in his touch, a yearning that she wasn’t sure she could satisfy, but he was gentle. He was  _ her Thanos _ again. 

Once they were both sated, Thanos collapsed on the bed beside her, chest heaving as he attempted to catch his breath. He rolled away from her, facing the wall. She furrowed her brow, fighting back a childish pout and she scooted towards him. And while she was unable to wrap both her arms around his thick waist, she draped one arm over him, and tangled their legs together. Pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder blade, she whispered, “You’re not alone.”

And she drifted.

When she woke up the next morning, the bed was empty. His armor was slung over the armchair, and the space next to her was cold. He had been gone for a while. She stretched, waking her muscles before she rolled out of bed. 

Once clothed, she began her search for him, if he was even on the ship at all. She passed several throngs of Chitauri, ignoring her as they went about their business. She found herself at the entrance to the throne room, and being the place she expected to find him, she turned to enter.

Two guards blocked the entrance, forming an X with their spears. “His Majesty is permitting no entrance to his Throne at this time.” The voice said, almost robotic.

Ellie cocked her eyebrow at him, shaking her head. “And who are you to tell the bride of Thanos where she can and cannot go?” She retorted, sticking her nose up in the air. 

The guards exchanged a glance before one of them shrugged, obviously uneducated on this situation. They uncrossed their spears and allowed her through.

However, it wasn’t Thanos she found in the room.

She wasn’t sure who it was, honestly.

Her skin was green, and her hair different shades of red and black. The muscles along her arms were defined and rigid. She had seen more fighting than Ellie could have ever dreamed of. Her neck snapped when Ellie’s foot kicked a stray rock, causing a splash and a splatter.

“Who are you?” She asked, her tone was firm. “Did my  _ father  _ send you to reason with me?” She laughed, a pitiless, cruel sound. 

“I don’t - I’m not… I don't know your father.” Ellie spluttered finally, her face turning bright red.

“Yet you wear Titan silks, and you were given access to this room. You are closer with my father than you would like to admit, I see.” Her voice was cold.

“Thanos is your father?” She asked the stranger, trying hard to be brave in this moment.

The woman laughed, turning to face Ellie now. Her voice might have been harsh, but her face and her features were soft. There was a kindness in her eyes. “Thanos is no father of mine. Kidnapper and conqueror and tormentor. But no father. I can only assume he has done the same with you?” She asked. Her hand twitched as if she might offer it to Ellie, before dropping it back to her side. 

“I - no. No… It started as… maybe a kidnapping. I was in the wrong place. But he has been nothing but kind… to me…” Her voice wasn’t strong, held no courage when she spoke. “He’s kind to me.”

The green skinned stranger laughed again, clutching her stomach as she did so. “Kind?” She asked, walking closer to where Ellie stood frozen. “Thanos does not know the meaning of the word kind. He has you fooled, young Terran. He’s tricked you into thinking that he could love you, is that it?” She asked, her words hitting Ellie like daggers to her heart. “Thanos is not capable of love, human. He is capable only of death. Destruction. Devastation. No good things come from you sharing his bed.” She paused, shaking her head. “What is your name?”

“Ellie.” The word fell out of her mouth before she had time to think about it

“Run, Ellie. Get as far away from here as you can. He’ll kill you. That’s all he does is kill.”

She shook her head, refusing to believe. She backed away slowly from the woman. “He will kill me. In this room, on another planet. I die today, Ellie. Mark my words.” The grin left her face as she turned her back on Ellie. 

She ran out of the room, unsure of why tears stained her cheeks as she traveled the familiar route back to their room. He was there this time, standing with his back to her.

“Thanos.” She said, the door closing behind her. He did not answer her, he turned silently to face her. His features were unreadable. “Thanos…” She said again, approaching him.

“Who do you think you are, using a  _ made up  _ status to get what you want on this ship?” He asked, nostrils flaring.

“What?”

He took several large strides towards her. “If you were instructed by  _ my guards  _ to stay out of the throne room, why did you press the issue?”

“I was looking for you…” Ellie mumbled, backing away from him slowly. He continued to advance.

She backed herself against a wall, heart pounding against her chest. “Did you find what you were looking for?” He sneered, bending down in her face. 

“No…”

“I should think not.” He snarled, turning his back on her.

Feeling braver with him further away, she straightened up. “Was she right?” She asked, steeling herself for the answer. “Are you incapable of caring for anyone but yourself and your stones?”

“Ask me what you  _ really  _ want to know, dearest Ellie.” His voice thick with anger now. “Do you want to know if I can  _ love you?” _ He laughed, throwing his head back. “A trivial matter. Such things hold no weight in the face of destiny. You cannot keep me from mine. Neither could Gamora. Destiny arrives all the same. Mine is here. Now. Today.”

She trembled under her gaze. “You are not to leave this room, under any circumstances.” He barked, walking to the door. He paused in the doorway, turning to look at her once more. “I’ll be back. I’ll return.” He grinned again, a terrifying sight.

“I always do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m love u all so much. hopefully thanos doesn’t stay this grumpy for long


	17. Snap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's short but we're FINALLY done with infinity war. this bit was the hardest to write because... well... i tried to stay as true to the movies as possible. now i can do WHATEVER I WANT. it's gonna be lit

Return he did.

He wasn’t gone as long this time, and when he returned, Ellie wasn’t even sure he was the same man. Or a man at all. His eyes were wild as he examined 5 of the stones. He had all but one now, one empty slot on the gauntlet. He paced the room slowly, watching her as she sat on the edge of the bed.

She tried so hard to make herself small, to disappear from reality entirely. A hand covered her mouth as she tried to quiet the strangled sobs that escaped. 

“Come with me.” He said, finally. His voice was detached, hollow. He held out his hand for her. She did not take it, instead she hugged her knees closer to her chest and avoided his gaze like the plague. “Ellie.” He growled, stepping closer to her. 

She began to physically shake with fear as he drew nearer. This wasn’t Thanos. This wasn’t the man she had grown to care for.

She didn’t know who this was. 

He crouched down in front of her, so that they were now at eye level. “If I haven’t hurt you thus far, what leads you to believe I would hurt you now?” He asked. And although his words might have been perceived as kind, the way he said it sent chills across her skin. 

When she continued to ignore him (or at least try), he took her by the wrist, pulling her to her feet. She gasped, finding her footing. Something inside of her snapped, and she started fighting back. She pulled against his grasp, using her free hand to push against his hand. She tried desperately to break free, twisting and turning as she cried. 

It was useless, it didn’t matter how much she fought him, he would always be stronger than her. She tried once more, wriggling in his grasp. He stopped dead in his tracks, pulling her close to him. “Stop.” He said, his features suddenly appearing crestfallen. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“I don’t want to go with you.” Ellie whispered, tears wetting her cheeks. 

“You don’t have a choice.” Was his response. And after a long pause he spoke again. “I’m close. After I complete my mission, this ship will be a target. This is how I  _ protect _ you, Ms. Jetsper.” He didn’t give her time to respond. The stones glowed, and they were outside a hut. If one could even call it that. It was so run down, so old. 

“Where are we?” She asked, taking a step away from him when he dropped her wrist. 

“It’s not important. No one will find you here.” He made to leave. 

“Wait -” She called out after him, uneasy all of a sudden. She fought back the tears this time. “Come… Come back. Come back to me.” She said, her voice breaking at the end. He smiled, and for a brief second she thought she saw a glimpse of  _ her  _ Titan. 

“I always do.”

 

⟷

 

An hour passed, maybe two. It wasn’t a long time. But something happened, the air shifted. Ellie gasped as a burning sensation ripped through her stomach. She ran outside the doors, vomiting in the nearby grass. 

_ This is it. _

_ He did it. _

When she finished expelling whatever was left inside of her, she sat down on the steps nearby, pain still rippling through her abdomen. 

She waited. 

The air around her was different, still. Everything went silent. She half expected the setting moon to fall out of the sky, it all felt so eerie. She took a deep breath and leaned back on a nearby post, waiting for fate to take her.

She had been so unlucky with everything else, it seemed. Why would she get to survive the destruction of half the universe?

She closed her eyes in acceptance of whatever was about to come. 

There never was going to be a happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> theres still more after this, don't quit on me now.


	18. Wounds

_Ellie… Ellie…_

A voice begged her to wake up, but she was so content in the nothingness of sleep, so happy and free of pain and fear and worry. In sleep she was safe. Nothing could get to her.

_Ellie._

The voice was pleading now. In the back of her mind, she felt hands on her face, a thumb brushing the skin of her cheek. Comforting though it may be, the pull of the unconscious was so much stronger. She could not be moved.

_Please._

_Please come back to me._

In her perfect peace, she felt a pang of guilt. He sounded hurt, sincere. She could feel herself stirring. The world was closer and the nothingness was fading. She felt lips against her forehead, soft and fleeting. A whisper of a kiss.

“Ellie…”

“Thanos” She muttered back, forcing her eyes awake. She blinked twice, clearing the rest from her eyes and focusing on the figure in front of her. “Is it Thanos?” She asked, sitting up from her uncomfortable napping position. “Or have you brought the Mad Titan back to me?” A taste of annoyance leaked into her words.

He laughed.

And it was _his_ laugh, not the mirthless chuckle of the mad man that had stood before her hours ago. It was a laugh that her heart had been so desperate to hear.

“I left the Mad Titan back on Earth.” He told her, cradling her face gently in his hands. “It is Thanos, and Thanos alone. Here at your service, my queen.”

“On Earth?” Ellie asked, her brain still foggy with sleep. She scrunched her nose in confusion “Are we not on Earth?”

He smiled, shaking his head. He did not offer any more information for her, however. He made to stand, and buckled over in pain.

“You’re hurt.” She reached out to him, as though she herself could fix him.

“It’s nothing. I will heal.”

“Thanos, it doesn’t look like nothing.” She whispered, gently peeling back his tunic from the tear in the middle. If she had the stomach to look long enough, she’s certain that she would have seen his very heart through the gash in his chest. But she took one glance, and her entire stomach flopped. Had she anything left, she would have thrown it up there. But her stomach was empty, leaving her gagging.

“Are you hurt?” He asked her, a hand rubbing gentle circles on her back as she heaved up nothing.

She shook her head, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. “Let’s get you inside.” She said, standing on shaky legs. Thanos supported her elbow, putting the rest of his weight against a beam on the porch.

“I could say the same thing for you.” He said, cocking an eyebrow.

“We’re a sight for sore eyes, aren’t we?” She laughed, wrapping an arm around his waist. He winced as he put an arm over her shoulder. They entered the small cabin like that, supporting each other. The door shut behind them, and finally, _finally_ , they had their moment to be together. No stones or aliens or superheroes stood between them.

Something bubbled up inside of Ellie, and she tried her hardest to keep it under control and under wraps, but she just couldn’t do it. She stopped dead in her tracks, grabbed Thanos’ face, and brought his lips down to hers. He stood, in shock, for several beats, before she heard something clatter to the ground. His hands were on her waist in an instant. And it was his _hands_ , no gauntlets or gloves involved.

He hoisted her up and her legs wrapped easily around his waist. His breath caught in his throat though, and he groaned under the pressure against his wound.

“Stop.” Ellie said, breaking away. “Put me down.”

“I’m _fine._ ” He said, pressing his lips against hers again.

“Stop stop stop.” She said, untangling her arms from around him. “You’re going to hurt yourself. More.” She pushed gently away against the uninjured part of his chest.

Begrudgingly, he obliged, setting her down on her own two feet. “If all is said, and all is done, we have the rest of forever together.” She said, cupping one of his cheeks in her small hand. He smiled softly, turning his face to press a kiss to the heel of her hand.

“You’re right.” He said, softly. “All is said and all is done.”

“How can we make _that-”_ She pointed to the gaping hole in his chest “-look better than it does right now? It’s a _lot_ to look at.”

He laughed again, the sound music to Ellie’s ears. He took a few steps back, and went to remove his shirt. He roared in pain at the motion, collapsing back on the edge of the bed. He looked over at her, defeat in his eyes. “Please…” He asked, casting his gaze to the ground. “Help?”

She smiled, climbing up behind him on the bed. “I’ll go slow, let me know if I hurt you.” She said softly, kissing the back of his neck before grasping the hem of blood stained shirt. Cautiously, she pulled it up, being very deliberate with her motions. “Is it… stuck anywhere?” She asked, praying that the answer was no.

He shook his head, “I don’t believe so.” They worked together slowly to peel the ruined fabric off of him, discarding it on the ground when it was finally removed. Mindlessly, Ellie’s hands wandered the muscles along his back, taking the moment to appreciate the statue of a man that sat in front of her.

“Ellie…” He growled, his voice low.

“Sorry.” She whispered, quickly tucking her hands in her lap. He turned around on the bed, he was on his knees. She steadied herself with a few breaths, keeping eye contact with him in an attempt to not look at the wound in front of her.

“Ellie.” He murmured again, creeping loser to her. With one hand, he pulled her legs out from under her, so she was laying flat against the bed. “Now this…” He started, using one hand to support himself as he hovered over her, and the other to bunch her dress up at her hips. “This won’t hurt me _nearly_ as much.” He said with a devilish grin, running his tongue over his bottom lip.

Her head was spinning as his lips crashed against hers, they didn’t stay there for long, and they began a well traveled path to her throat. “Hey… Hey Thanos…” She managed to gasp out, breathlessly. She felt his mouth leave her throat as he pulled back, looking at her.

He hummed a note, waiting for her to continue. His eyes flickering over her body as she lay there.

“Not tonight. Today. I don’t know what time it is. Not now.” She said, trying to squirm out from under him. He shuffled over, sitting down next to her. He didn’t speak, resting his arms on his knees as she gathered her thoughts. “I need you to heal. I need you to rest and get better. Who knows what pain the night will bring. You need your strength to get better.”

“I can heal tomorrow.” He said, his eyes hooded.

“Thanos please…” Ellie started, fiddling with the hem of her dress instead of looking him in the eyes. His finger hooked underneath her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“What is bothering you, my Ellie? Speak freely.”

“I need you to get better. You have to get better.” She said, fighting back the tears that began to well up in her eyes. “I can’t lose you, not again. Not to the gauntlet or the stones or the madness. You can’t leave me again.”

She took a deep breath, steadying herself against the tears that threatened to fall.

“Thanos, I…”

“Yes?” He asked, a hint of smile appearing on his features. “What is it?”

She tried to look away but his hand kept her gaze on him. She was shaking now, sobs starting to break through her composure.

“I can’t lose you, Thanos. I…” She paused, drawing in another, shaky, breath.

“I love you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright so if you haven't read [mourn](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15171449), that's what comes next in the sequence of events, probably. i just published it as it's own work because i was happy with the way it turned out. i think we're about at the halfway mark for this story so, there's no telling what happens from here on out!


	19. Better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOAH sorry it took so long september has literally been hell

She awoke to screaming, The moon still hung in the sky and the night air was still. Thanos lay next to her, his face contorted in agony. A thin gleam of sweat gathered on his forehead.

“Thanos,” Ellie whispered, shaking his arm gently. “Thanos wake up.” She sat up, placing a hand against his cheek. “It’s just a dream, love. Wake up.”

Wake up he did. His eyes shot open, a familiar wild look raged in his eyes. Before she had a chance to speak again, he flipped her over, pinning her wrists against the mattress. Ellie whimpered, shrinking away from his vicious glare.

He growled something, it wasn’t English. His grip on her wrists tightened, and she cried out.

Her sobs seemed to bring him back. The wild receded from his gaze, his hold on her slackened. “No.” He gasped, standing quickly. “Not you.” Without another word, he left the cottage, the door swinging behind him as he went.

Ellie lay there, dumbstruck, for several beats, carefully, she rolled her wrists, bruised, but not broken. She sat up, her fingers brushing the skin on her neck gently. If he had grabbed anywhere else…

She shook her head fiercely, pushing the thought from her mind. She rose to her feet, but a searing pain across her abdomen gave her pause. She whimpered again, clutching at the bedpost while the cramp ran its course. Once she could stand on her own again, she grabbed her robe off of a nearby chair, and followed Thanos out the door.

He was standing by the small pond, hands clasped tightly behind his back as he overlooked the view.

“Hey.” She said as she neared him, and watched as his whole body tensed at the sound. “It’s just me.” She offered, her voice trailing off.

“I will return you to earth first thing in the morning.” He said, steady. He did not look at her.

“What? Thanos - no. Why?” Tears welled up in her eyes before she could even begin to process what he had said. “I don’t want to go.”

“This is unsafe for you here. I am unsafe for you. You will be happier on earth.” His words were filled with determination.

“That’s stupid.” She said with a haphazard laugh, touching his arm gently. “You’re being stupid.” He recoiled from her touch, breaking her heart into pieces without uttering a word. “Thanos, please.” She begged. “Talk to me.”

“There is nothing to say. I have injured you again. Except this time, it was not consensual. I will hurt you again, Ellie. It’s what I am made for. Destruction.”

“Stop. You’re being ridiculous.”

“I am incapable of such a thing and you know it.”

“If you won’t talk… will you listen?” She asked, stepping in front of him. He made eye contact for the first time since the bedroom. He nodded.

“When I was in high school, I had a really good friend. She ended up being dumb and getting knocked up by her boyfriend. Super preventable. But -”

“If you’re going to tell me about teenage human pregnancy, I refuse to see how I can learn from this.”

Ellie smiled, “Just listen. She had the baby, they got married, bought a house and they both got jobs. American dream, right? Except when I went to visit her it was so dull and dreary and it was absolutely everything that I _didn’t_ want from my life. To stay at home and be a mom and let a man take care of me.”

A ghost of a smile crossed his face, quirking an eyebrow up at her.

She laughed, “Let me finish. After I visited with them I realized that if I _didn’t_ want to end up like her, I should probably make a change. So I moved to the city for a couple of months. Bought an apartment, that’s when I got Jazzy, too.”

Thanos shifted his weight on his feet, peering down at her. “As much as I enjoy your Terran anecdotes, does this one have a point, or are you attempting to filibuster your way into staying? My decision is final.”

“Okay macho man, anyways. I met this guy. Super handsome, real tall, buff - Hey, maybe I have a type.” She winked, beginning to pace a small circle in front of him. “He was great in bed, too. Like super great.” She added, stopping to watch his features contort. Anger? Jealousy? She couldn’t place it, but it gave her a sense of power.

“So we’re in my apartment, watching television and I’m sitting here and I’m _literally_ thinking at that exact moment, ‘This could be the guy’, like I might have been in love with him or something. And honestly - and I know this sounds dramatic but the _second_ I finished the thought, he tells me that this isn’t working, he needs to focus on his career. Leaves me there like in a matter of seconds.

“So I’m like - well that sucks. That was really crummy but I don’t want that from my life. To be unhappy and in a forced relationship. So I move back to Shiloh and finish out at a local college and become a teacher. It’s so simple and so boring but I’m not an unhappy housewife, and I’m not depending on some man to take care of me. But the whole time I’m there I keep thinking _I can do better_ than whatever this is.”

She takes a deep breath, steadies herself, and reaches for his hands. “All this to say, Thanos. I’ve been waiting my whole life for _better._ ” She smiles, he avoids her gaze. “Is this perfect? I mean no. But perfect isn’t as fun as they make it out to be. I’ve been waiting for my spectacular moment where something in my life _clicks_ and everything starts to get _better._ And maybe I’ve found that.”

“Ellie, you’ve rambled your way to the sunrise.” Thanos interjected, nodding as the rays peaked over the mountains.

“Listen to me. Who are you to take away my better? What gives you the power and the right to decide what’s best for me?” She steeled herself against the next bit. “So if that means I stay by your side until you snap my neck, or until I die of old age, that’s my choice and mine alone. But, if you can look me in the eyes and tell me right now that you _don’t_ care about me. Take me home. Drop me off in Tennessee and never look back.”

“You cannot put that on me.”

“I’m not putting anything on you.” She said, worrying her bottom lip. “I’m asking you to be honest with yourself and say that maybe there’s a part of you, even if it’s a teensy part, that would miss me.”

“It’s not a _teensy_ part and you are well aware of that, Ms. Jetsper.” He growled, his tone bordering on playful.

“Then let me stay. We can be happy together. Let yourself be happy.”

“I’ve hurt you, I could do it again.”

“Okay? So could anyone else I end up with. We can work through the nightmares. We can work through whatever you’re going through but, you need to trust me.”

Thanos made a ‘harumph’ sound, plopping himself on the ground in defeat. “There’s nothing I can say to change your mind? To make you go back home?”

“Literally nothing at all.” She sat down next to him, leaning into his side. “You’re stuck with me.”

He sighed, wringing his hands together. It was several moments before he spoke again. “They’re gone Ellie. They’re all gone.”

“Who?” She asked, slipping her hands between his and giving him a gentle squeeze.

“Maw. Proxima. Corvus. Cull. All of them, sacrificed for _my destiny_.”

“I’m sure they knew the risked when they signed on.” She offered softly.

“Gamora didn’t. I… I forced her into this life. Took her from her family, and then again from her loved ones just days ago. Love is a weakness, Ellie. And because of that weakness, I lost Gamora.”

“Is she…?” She didn’t want to finish the sentence.

He nodded, offering nothing more on the matter.

“When you had your nightmare, are they what you saw?” She questioned.

“All of them, together. Perhaps it was Hel. Maybe it is my penance. But I cannot escape from it. I can only hide.”

“Then we hide together. Just the two of us.” She said, standing.

“They’ll come for me. The rest of them. The Avengers. They’re not finished with me yet.”

“Then we’ll fight. Or we’ll run. We don’t have to decide that now. Right now, come back to bed. That would be enough.”

He offered a smile, “Would it be?”

“It’s enough for me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also i know where the story goes but i’m struggling with how to get there so if ur here you’re in for maybe a strange ride


	20. Rest

She giggled lightly as his lips brushed against her cheek. She was laying in their bed, enjoying the stillness of the morning air.

Several weeks had come and gone since they had arrived on this planet. Thanos hunted for food, Ellie gathered herbs and berries (after she was taught the correct alien species, she almost tried to kill them once). “Are you going to shave that?” She asked, sitting up against the headboard.

“This?” He asked, combing his fingers through his greying beard. “I quite like it, I think. Do you not care for it, my dearest?”

“It doesn’t help me to forget that you’re, quite literally, a thousand years old. You look like an old man.” She scrunched up her nose, feigning disgust. “And it makes your kisses a little scratchy. But hey, if you like it, Old Man, you keep it.”

He sat on the edge of the bed nearest to Ellie, his hand resting on her thigh. “You didn’t seem to have any complaints  _ earlier _ about the scratchiness of my beard, darling.” He grinned knowingly, pressing another  _ scratchy _ kiss to her forehead.

Truth be told, he  _ did  _ look older. His skin was beginning to sag, his muscles losing their definition. When they would walk the trail around their cottage, he used a stick to give him balance. His injuries  _ were  _ healing, but they were taking such a long time. She was beginning to wonder if maybe staying here wasn’t what was best for him, in the long run. He had no reason to fight, to train, to continue to keep himself up and moving.

“Hey, Thanos?” Ellie called after him, padding into the kitchen. 

“Yes, my queen?” He asked, turning to face her. He reached out to grab her by the wrist, pulling her into an embrace. One arm wound tightly around her waist, the other tangled into her hair, holding her close to him. She craned her head back, resting her chin against his chest as she looked up at him.

“Will you do something for me?”

He put a little space between them, giving him the room he needed to duck his head down, kissing her quickly. “Anything. Everything.”

“Will you teach me how to fight?” She asked, smiling timidly up at him. There were many layers behind this question, and she had been sitting on it for a few days now. It wouldn’t be bad for her to know a thing or two about combat, depending on what the future was going to throw their way. But also - it would do  _ him  _ some good to get around and moving again, even if it were something as trivial as teaching her how to hold a sword and dodge oncoming attacks.

“My Ellie.” He started, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “My Ellie,” he cooed again. “You shall never have to fight for your life. I will always protect you.”

“I know,” she shifted awkwardly beneath his gaze. “But it couldn’t hurt for me to learn? Plus… I have a touch of cabin fever.” She winced.

“Anyone that comes up against us, will be more trained in hand-to-hand combat than I have time to teach you. These heroes they have been practicing this their whole lives, my heart. I am afraid even with months of training, they would annihilate you in an in instant.” He ran a hand over his bare scalp, sighing. “But I suppose, you’re right. You should know the basics. Tomorrow morning, we’ll begin at dawn.”

⟷

When she awoke the next morning, the bed was empty. Thanos has already risen. Sunlight was beginning to trickle through the windows. Ellie stretched, joints popping as she rose. She dressed quickly, simply. She donned leggings, and a sleek black sports bra, covering it with one of Thanos’ old tunics. Upon attempting to walk, she found the the shirt restricted her movements, so she tore the sides up the seam, glancing to make sure Thanos wasn’t around.

He wouldn’t mind, she just didn’t feel like explaining it to him. After the sides were torn, she tied each side in a loose knot, allowing her more freedom of movement.

As she walked outside, she tied her hair back. Thanos stood waiting for her in the clearing just to the left of their cottage. “Good morning.” He greeted with a smile. She stretched up on her toes, placing a gentle kiss against his cheek. “Ready?” He asked.

“The first rule,” He started, taking several steps backwards. “- is to make sure you always know where your opponent is at all times. Should you lose them, it will be over in an instant.” He snapped his fingers for emphasis. Ellie laughed at the motion.

“Your snaps aren’t nearly as intimidating without the gauntlet, dearest.” She joked. 

“I was the Mad Titan long before the gauntlet entered my life, and my prowess on the battlefield helped to gain that title. Now-” he was circling her at this point “-we’re going to start easy. I just want you to dodge my incoming attacks however you see fit.”

“Okay wait -” She started, holding her hands out in front of her. “This is where we’re starting? This is easy? You're going to kill me. I’ve never fought anyone before.” She said, waving her hands.

“Filth-covered hands? Snot-laden noses? Human fecal matter and bile?” He asked, standing behind her now.

“W-what?” She turned to face him, trying to stay light on her toes. Confusion set in on her features.

“I may be an old man, but I am no stranger to the trials of children. Are these not things that you dodge and avoid each day?” Thanos took a few steps closer to where she was standing. “You will do fine.” He said, before lunging at her. She screamed, tumbling off of her feet and into the grass. 

“See, my Ellie.” He said, also picking himself up off of the ground. “You did spectacularly. I would suggest two things, however. If you are to dive to the ground -” He stopped mid sentence, his eyes focusing behind where she sat on the ground. “Don’t get up.” He said, his voice low. All inklings of mirth were gone from his tone. Thanos crouched on the ground for a moment, holding a finger to his lips.

“What is your name, traveler?” He called, stepping past Ellie and into the clearing. “How did you find this place?” She couldn’t see anything. She heard nothing but the sound of Thanos’ voice; but unlike normal - it brought her no comfort. Who had found them?

“Just a vagabond.” The voice responded. It was a man’s voice. “A weary soul, looking for some rest.”

“You won’t find solace here, friend.” Thanos replies, eyes darting down to where Ellie was. He held a hand out in warning. She did not move. 

“Are you not alone?” The man asked, his voice sounding as if it grew closer to where they stood. It was all she could do to keep from bursting out into tears, her hands shook as she kept her mouth covered. 

“Come.” Thanos said, holding a welcoming hand out to her. She stood quickly, hiding herself behind him. “It is just us here, traveler. We have nothing to offer you.” The figure wore a cloak, head covered by a hood. Something was slung across his back. The dark man took a step closer to them.

“For Laura.” The man said, throwing his hood back. The next bit happened so quickly, she wasn’t so sure that it had happened at all. Thanos roared, launching himself at the man. The stranger notched an arrow, dodging Thanos’ attack easily. He pulled the string on his bow back and Ellie screamed. It was too late, she noticed it too late. 

The arrow wasn’t for Thanos.

It hit her square in the gut, the arrow piercing her skin before clattering to the ground behind her. She was dumbfounded, pure shock keeping her up on her feet.

He hadn’t noticed. Or if he had, Thanos did not pay her any mind. He grabbed the stranger by the back of the neck and hurtled him to the ground. With a large foot, he pressed down on his windpipe. “What do you think, my queen. Should we -” Once more he stopped mid thought, finally looking over to where she stood. Her hands were covered in blood as she clutched at her stomach. 

“I’m so sorry.” She whimpered, “Thanos, I’m so sorry.”

He was next to her in an instant, lowering her gently to the ground. “You’re alright. You’re okay. It’s okay.” He said, repeating himself as he smoothed her hair. A large hand came to rest on her cheek. “You’re going to be alright. It’s not that bad.” He smiled softly, brushing a tear away. 

“I’m sorry.” Ellie whispered again, it was getting harder for her to breathe. His tunic was ripped  _ and  _ soaked with blood now. “I’m sorry about your shirt.” She coughed, wincing as she did. 

“I can live without the shirt.” Thanos replied, pressing his forehead against hers. “I can't live without you.” 

Time stood still in that moment. Her breathing was labored. It was hard to focus on Thanos as he spoke softly to her. She was missing most of what he said to her. She knew she had to stay awake, to keep her eyes open and to listen as he spoke. But she was so tired. It was so hard. “Sleep…” She whispered, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment.

When they opened again, she saw his face. His features were crestfallen, his cheeks almost looked wet with tears. She felt his lips against her forehead gently. “Sleep. My angel. My Ellie.” He paused. Her vision was blurring. “Rest, Titan Queen. And know that I love you.”

 

And everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so sorry


	21. Pure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is SUUUUPER dialogue heavy so just... be warned going in LOL

Her hands immediately went to her stomach as she sat up with a gasp. Her breathing was labored. But… she wasn’t sure why. She slowly pulled her hands from her stomach, expecting them to be coated in blood. They weren’t. Everything was okay, everything was _good_. The bed creaked and shifted as Thanos sat down next to her. “Did I wake you?” He asked quietly, pressing a kiss to her shoulder once he settled himself in the bed beside her. “Go back to sleep, Ellie. It’s late.”

But she didn't feel tired? She felt incredibly well rested, actually. He kissed her again, on the cheek this time, and she recoiled back.

“Since when have you had a beard?” She asked incredulously, squinting in the moonlight to try and make him out better. Her hand went to his cheek, feeling the coarse hair between her fingers.

“It’s new.” Thanos replied, his voice quiet. “Come.” He said, pulling her into him. She relaxed against his touch, laying back down beside him. His hand _also_ went to her stomach, tracing mindless shapes.

“Do you know something I don’t?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow as she set her hand on top of his. “Something I should know?” Surely they weren’t _expecting._ That would be too much, too soon.

“Nothing. I know nothing that you need to worry about, my dear heart. Try and rest.” Normally, when they slept, it was close together, but it was almost as if Thanos couldn’t let her go. Every movement that she made, he copied, keeping her as close to him as possible. Once he finally fell asleep, she carefully removed his arm from around her, and snuck out of the bed. The night breeze felt good against her skin. The moon lit up their small area, illuminating several masses on the ground that she had never seen before.

Unable to ignore her curiosity, Ellie stepped towards the largest of the lumps, frowning. It looked like cloth? What in the world had Thanos been doing. She nudged it gently with her foot, causing it to roll back.

A scream escaped her mouth as a man rolled over to face her. Or… a dead man’s body. She covered her mouth quickly, hoping that she hadn’t woken Thanos. Beside the man, she could now see that it was a pile of weapons. A bow, some arrows, maybe some explosives. What was this doing here?

Unfortunately, she hadn’t been as quiet as she thought, and she heard loud footsteps behind her. “I’m sorry. I meant to have him gone by the time you awoke.” He said softly, resting a hand on the small of her back. Ellie turned to face him. His features were so _sad._

“What happened?” She asked, tucking herself under his arm as they stood there, looking upon the body. “How did I not hear him? Are you hurt?” How did he find us?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know the answers.” He said, walking away from her.

“What do you mean? What _happened_ Thanos? Surely you can answer that one.” She said, shivering against the breeze.

“He came here, for you.” He replied with his back turned. “His wife, she disappeared in the culling. So he came here to even the playing fields. One for another.”

“How did he get here? I thought we weren’t on earth?”

“We are not. I do not understand how he found us.”

“At least you got to him first, right?” She asked.

“Right.” He said, turning to smile. But his face did not reflect the happiness it should have. His eyes carried so much sadness, still.

“Thanos, what happened?” Ellie asked again, reaching out for his hand.

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

“We’re partners in this, I thought. We made it through the hard part and now we can be together. You lean on me, I lean on you, right?”

“Not this time.” He replied, kissing the crown of her head. “Come back to bed.”

He turn to begin the walk back to the house but Ellie still wasn’t convinced. Thanos’ _new_ grey beard glistened in the moonlight. “How long have we been here?” She asked, planting herself on the ground. She was wracking her brain, trying to remember something before waking up. But nothing came up.

Suddenly, it was like entire pieces of her brain were nothing but black space. She couldn’t recall anything that had happened after the snap, the balance. Her mind and her memories felt fuzzy, like pieces of her were missing.

They were on the ship, they were on this planet, and he left. He came back and? That was it. The memories stopped there. “Thanos how long have we been here? Three weeks? Four? How long does it take for you to grow a solid beard like that?”

He stopped dead in his tracks, shoulders deflating in defeat.

“Beards don’t grow overnight, Thanos. Not like that.”

He sighed, loud enough so that even Ellie could hear him, several yards away. When he turned back to look at her, he looked so _old._ Older than she had ever remembered seeing him. “Come inside, Ellie. You will catch sickness in this cold.”

She marched past him and through the cabin door, stopping just inside. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and passed through the door again, standing just in front of him. “You owe me answers, Thanos. Why can I not remember being here? Why can I not remember your beard? The dead body?”

“You’re stubborn.” He replied, a ghost of a smile gracing his lips. “I always liked that about you.”

“Do you not like it anymore?” She teased, elbowing him in the arm.

“Come inside. I’ll start a fire, and answer your questions.” He said after a moment of silence. They entered the house silently, neither of them talking while Thanos stoked the fire. Ellie sat in the middle of the bed, watching as he moved.

“What I’m about to tell you is not for the faint of heart, dearest.” He said, standing before her at the edge of the bed. “At any time, I will stop, and we will forget this happened. You just say the word.” He hoisted himself up on the bed, crossing his legs in front of her. Beside him, he set down the gauntlet, mangled and disheveled as it was.

“We have been here for a month. You and I. The man outside came to attack you a few hours ago. He arrived here by using Stark’s mechanics and a bit of luck, I assume.” He wouldn’t make eye contact with her, staring adamantly at his hands.

“He… He succeeded, Ellie.”

“What?” She asked, shaking her head. Surely he didn’t mean…?

“He lodged an arrow into your stomach, and you bled out in my arms.”

She continued to shake her head, her hands clutching her stomach once more. “But I’m here. I _am here_? Right?”

“You are here.” He replied, gently cupping her cheek in his hand. “You were the only thing I had, the only thing in my life, untouched by the stones. Everything I have or had, the stones brought to me, or altered for my will. But not you. You were pure. My Ellie.”

“Were?”

“I… I wasn’t strong enough without you. I succumbed too early. I tried to use the time stone to turn back time and bring you back to me.” His eyes flickered to the gauntlet.

“And it worked?”

“In a manner of speaking. It changed the time around _you_. You were returned back to your state right as we began to settle into our home. The world around us did not change.”

“Can the gauntlet do that?” She asked, worrying her bottom lip.

“Obviously, it can, angel of mine.” He said with a smile. “The downfall. You have lost all of your memories of our time here together. And I am burdened to forever remember holding you in my arms while you took your last breath.”

“My memories are gone?” She asked, trying desperately to find something of the last month. “Put them back.”

“It’s not that simple. The gauntlet malfunctioned when I brought you back, it could do it again, and we could lose everything. All of our memories together, the times that we shared. I don’t trust the gauntlet the way I used to, it is broken.”

“We have to try.” She said, trying to smile at him. “I trust _you_. You can get it to work. I need to know what happened, Thanos.”

Without another word, he slid the gauntlet onto his hand, placing the cold metal against Ellie’s cheek. He rested his bare hand on her other one, leaning his forehead against hers. “I’ve never done this before.” He told her gently.

“Me neither.” She grimaced. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several stones flicker and glow, illuminating the dark room. Her eyes were open, but they filled with visions.

At first they were bright, happy. She and Thanos, laughing, sleeping, making love. They were together. A memory of a thunderstorm crossed her vision, she remembered feeling frightened, but then safe once Thanos was next to her again.

But the images turned darker, the world became bleak. They were by the lake, he was holding a walking stick. They were talking about fighting, and how to avoid attacks. He stopped, turning his back on her as a new figure entered.

Ellie felt herself starting to shake, tears falling from her eyes while she watched as the hooded man shot her without any contemplation. She watched as she died in Thanos arms, but the images did not end when her life did.

The vision continued on.

Thanos setting her limp body gently in the dirt, and going back to where the man lay crippled. He grabbed the stranger by the neck, dangling him above the ground. The hooded figure spat in his face, laughing the whole time.

“A life for a life.” The man had said, his voice sounding choked. “Now you feel how I feel. I held my wife as she turned to dust, you purple bastard. I wanted you to feel the same.”

Thanos had not dignified him with an answer, squeezing his hand around the strangers throat until he went limp in his grasp. She watched as he threw the man to the ground, spending no time on ceremony.  

The vision showed Thanos returning to Ellie, picking her up gingerly and carrying her back into the cottage. It ended with him laying her in the bed, and fetching the gauntlet to revive her.

The images faded away from her eyes like a fog lifting. Once she felt in control once more, she surged forward, wrapping her arms around Thanos and pulling him tight against her. He returned the motion, his arms anchoring her. “I’m so sorry Thanos.” She said, crying against his shirt.

“It was not your fault, my Ellie. I should have seen it coming. I promised I would allow no harm to befall you” He said, pulling back to wipe the tears from her cheeks. “But you are here now, you are whole and you are safe and you are _mine_.”

“Did you mean what you said? Or was it all just a rush of emotions in the moment?”

“Are you asking me if I meant when I said that I love you, Ms. Jetsper?” She nodded, chewing on the inside of her lip nervously. She was afraid her voice would betray her if she spoke. “I have never lied to you, my love. And I do not intend to start now.” He paused for a moment, watching Ellie squirm beneath his gaze. “ _I love you_.” He told her again, pressing his mouth to hers gently.

She returned the kiss eagerly, clammering up into his lap to be closer to him. “If that’s the case,” She muttered against his lips. “I have an idea of where to _dispose_ of the body”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a bit of a warning, i’m about to be a full time student (and a full time employee) again, so the updates to this story might be even fewer and farther (further?) inbetween :/


	22. Lady Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello it's been so long i hope u guys are still here i still love you it just got to the point where my brain said "you're not being paid to write this, nor did you pay someone so you could write this so many don't work on it right now" but here i worked on it and it's a whole chapter. is it good? ehhhhhh. but it's a new chapter with some exciting stuff! (or at least i think it's exciting)

“You do not have to do this, my love.” He said, pulling a dark fabric hood over her red locks.

“I kinda do. He’s starting to smell.” Ellie replied, crinkling her nose up and feigning disgust.

Thanos cupped her cheek in his hand, brushing the pad of his thumb over her cheekbone. “That is not what I meant, and you know it.” He told her, furrowing his brow. “This is dangerous, Ellie. _Actually_ dangerous. This is me, asking you to show up in a war zone and hope no one hurts you. I can not lose you again.”

She smiled up at him, “It was my idea. It’s a good one. You’re not _asking_ me to do anything. I volunteered.”

“Why?” He asked, shoulders slumped as he turned away from her. “I don’t understand. Every other being I’ve met has turned their nose up at my plan. Why are you _helping_ me?”

Ellie grabbed him by the arm, forcing him to turn and look at her. “Did you start this journey to kill people? Was that your goal?” She already knew the answer.

“I tried so many ways to bring change, my queen. More resources, more space. Everything was too much, it would never work.” The more he spoke, the more visibly upset he was becoming, this was not what she had wanted from this conversation.

“Did you want to kill the Avengers?”

“By the gods I swear to you, even as they stood in my way I did not kill them. I was not even aware of their gatherings until they tried to stop me on Earth.”

“But this guy,” She started, waving towards the corpse outside their home. “This guy came _here_ to kill you. He had nothing but revenge in his heart. When he saw you weren’t alone, he wanted you to hurt. Who is this man?”

“Damned if I know.” He answered with a chuckle. “I have never seen this human in my life.”

“Let’s bring him back, whatdya say?” She smiled, stretching up to kiss him on the cheek.

Linking her arm through his, a blue portal opened up in front of them, swallowing them and the body up. On the other side stood a large facility with a highly recognizable A on the roof. “I’ll be nearby the whole time.” He told her softly, smiling. “We go on your cues.”

He ducked down, kissing her softly on the forehead. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”

She smiled sheepishly. “Sure,” Was her response. “It should be fun.” Stepping back from where he stood, she adjusted the hood on her head, pulling it in such a way that it cast a shadow on her face. She smoothed the front of the cloak, taking a deep breath as she walked towards the door.

The door slid open quickly, allowing for easy access. She focused on her breathing. She would have been lying if she said she wasn’t nervous. She _was_ entering a high tech facility filled with super men and women that wanted to kill the man - alien - that she loved.

Ellie passed through another set of doors. She kept her chin high, shoulders back, and did her best to look as though she was gliding through the entrance hallway. Murmurs were beginning to rise up, people talking. Agents barking desperately into their headsets about the _figure_ wandering the base.

She was greeted by a man, side shuffling into her view. He was slight, and honestly - he looked like _she_ could have snapped him in half.

“Uhhh… hi.” The man said, wringing his hands together as he tried to avoid making eye contact with her. “Who… who are you?”

“No one of consequence.” She answer, her voice low and steady.

“I’m sorry… did you just quote The Princess Bride?” He asked again, ogling incredulously at her. “What are you doing here?”

“I have brought something that I believe Tony Stark might be missing. Where might I find him?” She asked, doing her best to maintain her composure. The more this man spoke, the more _she_ spoke, the more material they had to identify her with.

“Uhhh… Tony?” The man called into an earpiece. “There’s a… a ghost here to see you.”

The elevator opened shortly after the call was made, a _very_ tired looking man walked out. Ellie was able to identify him as Stark, but he looked a little worse for wear. His hair was more grey than she remembered it being. (Last time she saw him on the television, that is). His shoulders sagged, as if he carried the weight of many worlds upon them.

“Yeah? What do you want?” He asked her, an air of annoyance in his tone.

“I’m returning something that belongs to you, Stark.” She said, lifting her hand. She almost lost her composure when she looked at her hand, and saw nothing but bone. She kept her cool, making a mental note to ream Thanos for his _artistic_ approach later.

She flicked her wrist nonchalantly, silently begging Thanos to be paying attention to this conversation. And - she might not have truly understood how he was, but the decaying body came hurtling from a blue portal above them and onto the ground in front of them. When it hit, it made the most nauseating _thunk_ on the hard floor. “I believe this is yours, Mr. Stark.” She said with a curt laugh.

“Barton?” He remarked, running his hand down his face. “I told him not to take the jumper alone… Did you find him like this?” He asked, his voice becoming defensive.

“No.” She answered, turning her nose up at the smell of the body. A smell she had spent _way_ too much time around already.

“So how then, Lady Death - Can I call you Lady Death?” He attempted to crack a smile, but he looked more in pain than before when he did so. “How did you come to, not just bring this body to me, but to have first _killed_ the best archer on this planet.”

“T’was not I who laid the archer to rest.” She responded, turning to leave. “Though our time together is brief, I have done what I have come to do. But - Tony Stark, I will leave you with a warning.” The looked over her shoulder, red hair falling out of the cover of her hood as she did so. “The path to Thanos is paved with blood. Blood and bodies and your _friends_. The Avengers will not survive this fight, should they continue it.”

An eerie laugh escaped her mouth before she continued with her warning. “He will win. Thanos will not lose this fight, Avengers. Accept the losses you have already faced, and you will lose no more. End this trivial fight, and begin anew.”

“Oh yeah?” Stark commented, behind her, she heard the familiar sound of his suit firing up. “Says who?” He asked, aiming a cannon at her.

“Me.” A voice came from beside her. A voice she had not been expecting to hear, but comforted her all the same. It hadn’t been part of the plan for him to step in, but she was glad he did. There was no plan for ‘Tony Stark pulls out a laser gun on hooded figure.’ Thanos stepped through a blue light, staying just long enough to be seen, and then extract Ellie from the situation.

They came out in another musty looking motel room. The colors were bleak and outside the windows showed nothing but rain. “Skeleton hands?!” She said, swatting him on the arm. “You could have warned me that you were going to take such _liberties_ as to give me skeleton hands!” She laughed, pulling the hood off of her head.

He grasped the fabric near her waist, pulling her against him as he began to bunch her cloak up into his hands. “Next time, perhaps I’ll make all of you appear as a skeleton.” He said, tilting her chin up.

She smiled, sticking her tongue out at him. “Anything’s better than _skeleton hands._  At least I won’t have to see my skeleton face.”

He ducked his head, pressing his mouth to hers in a deep kiss. “I have known that I have loved you since the last time we shared a room like this.” He muttered against her mouth, pulling back just far enough. “But hear me when I say - I did not think it was possible to love something or someone _more_. But seeing you, dressed like this, hearing you tell the _heroes_ of the path of blood and bodies and havoc that I will reign upon them should they cross me once more.” He took a step back completely, rubbing his head as he turned away from where she stood.

“Who’d have thought that a five-five kindergarten teacher could put fear into the hearts of the Avengers, right?”

“It is not your past or your make that causes you to be special, my queen. It is your heart and your fire. I should consider myself lucky that you stumbled into my hideout in the woods.”

“That feels like a lifetime ago.” She said, stepping forward to wrap her arms around his waist and lean against his back.

“Truly it does.” He replied. “But I am afraid the worst might still be to come, dear heart.”

“You say that all the time.” She said, laughing. “We’ve made it this far, I’m certain we can weather whatever comes next.”

“For both of our sakes, I do hope that you’re right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy cow this is actually such a short chapter....... i am so sorry. oh well. like i said last time - i have a TON of stuff going on in my personal life, so i definitely won't be updating like i used to. so i'd say we're on like a semi-hiatus? just so you all don't expect updates that often. i'm still writing!!! just slower than normal.
> 
> like always. i love you guys so much and you bring me so much happiness.


	23. Daughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HIIIIIIII so i read Thanos: Titan Consumed by Barry Lyga (go buy it the minute u finish this chapter) and i’ve decided to do something a little.... different with the end of this story. in all seriousness, it’s thanos’ origin story, and its the best book i’ve ever read. Lyga explained Thanos in the exact way I’ve wanted to see him explained. It hit me in so many ways. Seriously, go read it.

“Thanos, come here! I’m on the news!” Ellie hollered around a bite of pepperoni pizza. She took a swig of her beer before turning the volume up on the hotel’s television. She sat crossed legged, leaning up against the headboard, a box of local pizza in front of her.

“- woman of unknown origins.” The news anchor said, shaking her head. The screen flashed to a recording of her, speaking to Tony Stark earlier in the day. A shiver ran down her spine, she hadn’t realized she was being watched. But, it made sense. “Now that’s not necessarily true.” Came a different voice. The man looked official, a part of SHIELD. “We’re inclined to believe that it might be the kidnapped school teacher from earlier this year.”

Ellie nearly choked on her dinner. “Thanos!” She called again, attempting to peer around the corner.

“We have no confirmation, but she seemed human, and appeared to be about the same size and build of the Ms. Jetsper that was abducted last year. And with Thanos still in possession of all of the Infinity Stones, we have to believe brainwashing isn’t far out of his realm.”

Ellie clicked the television off, shuddering. Her parents were watching that. Her parents would now think that, not only was she kidnapped by this _terrible_ creature, but now he was forcing her to do his evil bidding. She reached for her beer, praying that she could forget everything she had just seen.

Pushing the box aside, she grumbled under her breath. “What the hell are you doing in he - oh.” As she pulled the door open, she saw the giant man, hunched over the toilet.

“Go, Ellie. You should not have to look upon me like this.” He waved a haphazard hand in her direction, attempting to shoo her away.

“Mad Titan can’t handle his beer?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow. He did not laugh. He turned his head so she could see his bloodshot eyes, there was no humor in them. “Hey, hey hey.” She said, backtracking immediately. Carefully, she traipsed her way over to the edge of the tub, doing her best to avoid the long limbs that were strewn about the small bathroom. “Sit down.” She said, putting a gentle hand on his back. “It’ll be easier.”

He recoiled from her touch, stomach heaving. “Go!” He shouted, his fingers curling right around the toilet bowl.

He vomited, the sound echoing throughout the small room. Ellie would be lying if she said the sight of it didn’t make her stomach churn. When it had subsided, she rubbed his back gently. “It’s okay, you’re okay.”

“Leave, Ellie. This is vile and putrid.” He forced out, his breathing labored.

“I’ve been puked on twice this year.” She said with a laugh. “It’s part of the job. You can’t scare me, I taught kindergarten.” She started to rub comforting circles on his back, only to find he was drenched in sweat. “Here,” she started, maneuvering herself, “take this off, you’ll feel better.”

Together, they removed his shirt, allowing the cool air to hit his skin. He shuddered once, looking over at her. “What did you feed me?”

“It was just pizza. You shouldn’t have eaten a whole one, but -”

“What is in this _pizza_ I consumed?” His breathing was getting heavier, another round was coming.

“Shhh” She said, using his shirt to wipe the sweat off of his face. “Grease. Grease and fat and goodness. Your extreme physique and fit lifestyle has probably never allowed you such a delectable treat.” She said, mocking his tone.

His shoulders bucked, knuckles white as another wave passed through him.

“That’s right, get it all out. You’ll feel so much better.”

“I’m not a _child,_ Ms. Jetsper.” He barked at her, twisting away from her touch.

“I never implied that you were.” She replied coolly, her hand returning to his back. “What I did imply, is that this isn’t new to me. It might be new to you. I don’t know if Titans overeat and get sick like this. _I’m not from Titan.”_ He grunted, before retching again. What she _did_ know, was that she had warned him not to eat too much. But this wasn’t the time to remind him of that.

Later, definitely later.

Three minutes passed.

Then five.

Ten.

“Come lay down.” She said, moving her hand to his cheek. “It’s been several minutes since the last one. Come rest.”

He laughed grimly. “And if there are to be more?”

“Then we’ll find ourselves right here later.” Quickly, she got to the open bathroom door, bracing herself as he took her hand. Thanos rose, a little shaky, but he rose. He paused outside the bathroom, leaning against the wall as he unbuckled the clasp on his pants.

“Need some help?” Ellie asked, hands hovering.

“I can remove my own trousers, dear heart.” He said with a tired chuckle.

“Can you?” She asked, winking. He paused at the end of the bed, pizza box still in full display. It was like she could hear his thoughts, or maybe his stomach. “You’re okay.” She said quickly, scooping up the box. “It’s okay. It’s gone.”

He lowered himself into the bed, resting his back against the headboard. Ellie fetched him a glass of water. “Drink.” She said, pressing the cup into his hand. “If Titan organs are anything like human ones, you need to rehydrate after that.” She took a few steps back, waiting.

Thanos said something under his breath before holding the cup up in a mock salute.

She turned around, digging through the grocery bag to find the pajamas she had got from the store earlier. Pulling her shirt over her head, she heard something slight from her _audience._ She was stepping out of her pants when she heard him. “Now _this,_ my love, is a view I could get used to.”

Ellie tugged the nightgown on, laughing. “I just watched you throw up an entire pizza. You’ll have to forgive me if I’m not in _the mood_.” She slipped into the bed next to him, tucking herself under his arm. Gently, she rested her hand against his toned stomach.

“What are you doing?” Thanos gasped.

“Oh god, I’m sorry.” She said, retracting her hand quickly. “When I was a kid, my mom used to always rub my stomach after I threw up. I remember it being so relaxing. She’d lay in bed with me until I fell back asleep.”

“Don’t stop.” He said softly, reaching for her, guiding her hand back to his stomach. “Tell me more stories from your childhood.”

Ellie recounted endless tales from growing up. The day she ran her bike into a tree. The time she tried to kiss her goldfish. He fell asleep some time after her story about the first time she cheated on a test, and she dozed off shortly after.

Several hours into the night, she felt him stirring. She pulled herself out of sleep, ready to rush with him back to the bathroom, only to see a silhouette looming over Thanos.

“Don’t move.” Came his voice, “Don't move, don’t speak.”

“Aw, come on Dad.” A new voice replied with a click of her tongue. “Where’s the fun in that? I only came here to meet my new mom. At least - that's what the rumors are saying. Throughout the galaxy, whispers that the Mad Titan has lain with a human woman. Carries her around like a _pet._ And as it would appear- the rumors are true.” From the pale moonlight, Ellie could barely make out the woman’s face.

“Is it the one you kidnapped, Father? The _school teacher_? I expected you to have higher standards.” She laughed, and the sound wasn’t natural. It was mechanical, close to evil - almost. “Come on mom, speak up. I’m _dying_ to get to know the woman that changed dear old dad’s heart. Why were _you_ good enough?”

“Don’t answer her.” Thanos replied, his voice still strained.

“Tell me, Mother,” Her voice was slick with contempt. “How did you weaken him? What did you do to cause the Mad Titan to be unable to fight me back.”

“Just kill me, Nebula. Your provocation bores me.” Thanos replied.

Ellie was shaking, absolutely at a loss of what to do.

“I’m not here to kill you, Pop. That comes later. I’m here to find your weaknesses.” The woman laughed again, standing. “I told Stark you didn’t have any. If you couldn’t have truly loved the ones you called your _daughters_ , how could you have anything holding you back?” She guffawed, but the sound was almost… sad. “Can’t wait to see the look on his face when he finds out he was right. Watch your back, Father. We’re coming.” And with a _pop_ and a flash of light, she was gone.

Thanos moved quickly, turning the small tableside lamp on. “Did she hurt you?” He asked, hovering over Ellie. “Are you injured?”

She shook her head, reaching up to touch a place on his neck. When she drew her fingers back, they were covered in blood. “She hurt you, though.” She remarked, sitting up.

“It is but a scratch. I’ll be fine.” He said, pulling her against his chest. “After everything I’ve put you through. The fear and the pain and the torment, you still stay.”

“Because I love you, you lilac moron.” She said, trying to smile. “Are we - are we ever going to be safe?” She asked, worrying her bottom lip. She was beginning to fear that his past was catching up to them. And perhaps - not just the snap.

“No. Not until the heroes are dead. We can run to the furthest system in the universe, and they will still find us. Find me.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means, there has been a change of plans.”


	24. Achernon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First! I would like to apologize for the length between this chapter and the last. I had the craziest holiday, and I have been overloaded at work and with course work. Things are settling down, but not over!  
> Second! I've never _really_ written from Thanos' POV before, so it took me SO LONG to get this right. There are still some parts I'm not 100% satisfied with, but I like the chapter overall.  
>  Third! We are winding down and getting close to the end. I'd say there are probably 4 chapters left? We're in the endgame now. hahahaha  
> Fourth! I love you all. If you've been patient and kept up with me all this time, I cant thank you enough. Your comments mean the world to me. Now enjoy!

She deserved the world.

She deserved diamonds and gowns and subjects that adored her. She deserved to be treated like a queen. She deserved a man that could be there for her every moment of every day, no holds barred.

Thanos couldn’t be that man.

He watched her chest rise and fall as she slept in the terribly uncomfortable hotel bed. Her mouth slightly agape, her freckles speckling her skin like stars in the night sky.

He smiled. A great sadness overtook him as he realized the only possible course of action. The only thing he _could_ do.

He had to say goodbye.

They had gotten more time than they had ever deserved. Hell, he had never deserved her at all. A strange angel that crash landed right in the middle of his life, his plans, his _destiny_. A nuisance and a bother and too bold for her own good.

She was soft where he was hard. She bent where he would have remained firm. She was kind where he was cruel. Had the universe given them a different story, they could have ruled for many prosperous years together.

A weak moment in the past allowed him to sit back and _imagine_ a future with her. A home, a life, children, even. It caused him agony to imagine, he felt so full of joy and despair, all at once. That couldn’t happen.

The universe was unkind, and had delivered them a path that could only lead to destruction.

But maybe, maybe for one day, Thanos _could_ be the man she deserved. He could give her the world and all that she could see.

He placed one knee on the side of the bed, leaning over his sleeping Ellie. “Wake up.” He muttered softly, running his thumb over her cheekbone. “I have something to show you.”

She stirred beneath him, stretching her arms above her head with the slightest of groans. His lips turned upward as she awoke. “Hello.” She said, her voice still coated in sleep.

“Hello.”

“Are you sure we can’t just sleep today?” She asked, yawning.

He smiled once more, taking her gently by the hands and pulling her into a seated position. He placed himself in front of her. “I’d like to take you somewhere, if that is acceptable to you.”

She cocked an eyebrow, “Yeah?” She asked, and he could see the curiosity bubbling up. “Where is this?”

“A surprise.” He beamed, feeling quite proud of himself.

“Thanos of Titan,” She started, hoisting herself up on her knees. Her smile was enough for him. It could have always been enough. Her hands touched the back of his neck, clasping together. “Are you asking me on a date?”

“Only if you’ll have me.” His heart skipped a beat. In another life, this would have been the way he would have courted her.

But… he wouldn’t have courted _her._

Thanos has been with warriors, scholars and intellectuals. He had found himself in bed with rulers and royalty and politicians. His ego was massive, _had been_ massive. He wouldn’t have given this simple Terran girl a second glance. But now, as he watched her walk away from him and into the bathroom, it would never have been anyone else.

He prepped for their day as she showered. On the bed, he laid out a dress for her, simple in color and shape, but would be sure to blend in where they were going.

Ellie returned from the shower, a robe tied around her waist and her hair wrapped up in the towel. “Hurry, love, we wouldn’t want to miss it.”

“Miss what?” She asked, popping up on her toes to press a kiss against his lips.

He smiled again, shaking his head. She rolled her eyes at him, grabbing the dress off of the bed and returning to the bathroom.

He tried to push away the sadness, just for a moment. They were here, together, now. There was very little chance that the _heroes_ would find them today. He needed to relax.

“Why are you dressed like a 16th century pirate?” She asked him, as she walked out of the bathroom, eyeing his attire. “Why am _I_ dressed like a 16th century pirate?” Arm out, she spun in a slow circle.

“Come.” He held a hand out for her, trying to remain composed as she stuck her tongue out as him.

He ‘tsk’ed. “So immature.” Thanos said with a wink. “I forget you are a child, sometimes.”

“Yeah, old man? Do you?” She took his hand, gasping when he spun her around. Thanos dipped her slightly, a hand quickly coming to rest on the small of her back. She laughed, the sound echoing in the air. “I love you.” She said, once upright again.

The sadness overtook him again, like an anchor weighing him down. “And I you, my queen.” He said, straightening himself. “We’re going to be late.” He fetched the gauntlet, sliding the damaged piece onto his hand.

The portal spat them out at the opening of a stone wall. It was old, yet elegant. Easily, he manipulated the stones to turn the gauntlet into a necklace. “Lift up your hair.” He told her, stepping behind her. He had lain with her, shared her bed, and yet this simply action of clasping a necklace around her neck felt more intimate to him than all of that. His fingers brushed her skin haphazardly.

A lump rose in his throat. He swallowed hard, forcing it down. This could never be their life. This was a glimpse of what might have been, had destiny been kind.

“Will you tell me where we are, now?”

“Achernon.” He told her, taking her by the hand. “It’s a day of festivities. Their government is strict, but they do not refuse the people some fun, occasionally.”

“Oh, so it’s like living with you?”

“More than you know.” He said, winking once more. He led her past the city walls and into the kingdom. Once inside, he heard her gasp softly. She stopped dead in her tracks.

“They’re not…?”

“No, they’re not Titan. They are Achernonians.”

“They look like _you_.”

“A happy coincidence. I am a mutation, this is their normality.” He paused. “The people are kind, gentle. The common folk do not get days like this, often.” Music could be heard from the center of the city, the smell of sweet breads and treats wafting through the air. “Here, _you_ will be out of place. But, if my research has been correct -”

“And it always is.” Ellie interrupted, gently prodding him with her elbow.

“- they will be welcoming. They’re a smidge superstitious. But surely a pale skinned, red haired alien beauty entering their community will cause no alarm.”

“I’m not an alien!” She protested.

“Here, you are.” He shrugged, pulling a hood up over his head. “As am I.”

He watched as she absorbed the world with wonder. Her eyes as wide as she tasted foods, attempted to converse with locals, and smiled wide when spoken too. For fear of revealing too much of himself, he stayed back. At a glance he was just like them. No one would look too closely. Should his hood fall off, and his face be shown, he was unsure how the Achernonians would react.

Ellie ushered him over, struggling to understand what a gaggle of young ones were saying to her. “Help.” She asked, pleading.

They chattered on. He was by no means fluent in this language, but he was able to determine bits and pieces, based on other languages. “I think, my dear, they would like…” He made a motion towards his head. “Braid… your hair.”

“Oh!” Ellie exclaimed, her smile widening. She plopped herself on the ground in front of them, nodding. The children clapped and laughed and went straight to work on her hair.

She would make a wonderful mother, some day. Some man would be very lucky to win her heart, one day. One day when this was all over and he was gone.

“Hey-” She called, pulling him from his dark thoughts. She had her hand held out to him. With a smile he took a step forward to take it. His foot caught the bottom of his cloak, pulling the hood from his head.

Several gasps and shouts were heard almost immediately. The Achernonians swarmed the area, screeching at Thanos. Words like “devil” and “monster” were the most loudly heard. He held his hands up in surrender, unable to vocalize that he meant no one any harm. “Peace.” He said in a broken language. “Traveler.” He tried again, but the angry outcries continued.

He glanced towards Ellie, they were not focusing on her. If anything, the way they were standing made it appear as though they were _protecting_ her. “Stop!” She said, standing up from her spot on the ground. She wormed her way through the aliens and stood in front of Thanos. Again, her warm, comforting smile crossed her face. “He’s mine.” She said, motioning from her heart to his. “He belongs to me. Please don’t hurt him.” She asked of them. He should have laughed. They could not understand her.

He should have _known better_. They would never be safe, in public, together. He would always have to hide his face if he wanted to be with her. She was safe and welcome everywhere, he would never be.

The tension of the crowd seemed to lessen, however. They spoke silently amongst themselves for a moment, before looking to Ellie. A figure emerged from the crowd. They were dressed differently from the rest, as though they held a higher standard than the common folk. He grunted in disdain before turning on his heels.

“What did they say?” She asked, grasping his hand tightly. He could _feel_ how rapidly her heart was beating. Thanos pulled her closed to him, putting on hand on the back of her neck in an attempt to calm her.  

“You are responsible for me.” He told her with a laugh. “It’s up to you to make sure I don’t make any poor choices while we are guests on Achernon.”

She laughed into his tunic, wrapping an arm around his waist. “I’m a terrible person for that job.”

Thanos took a step back, reaching to tilt her chin up to meet his gaze. “You are the _only_ person for the job.” He kissed her softly, quickly. “Come, I have one more surprise for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Leave me a note! I love yoU!!!!!!!


	25. Composure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOF

Her eyes were covered with one of his hands, he used the other to guide her. “People aren’t going to try and stab you here, right?” She asked, teasing him. She felt him chuckle behind her, but he didn’t answer. Her stomach was in knots, the anticipation making her feel like a child right before the recess bell rang.

“People are always going to try and stab me.” Thanos responded, several moments later. “But tonight… tonight we should be safe.”

She had just her sense of smell to go by, and everything was strange. The air was heavy with the scent of trees, so perhaps a forest? Her feet were falling on solid ground, so they weren’t so far into the forest that they had lost the trail, however poetic that might be. “Step up.” His voice came, drawing her from her thoughts and guesses. “Several steps. I’ve got you.”

Once the ground beneath her leveled out, he led her forward a few more steps, and she heard the closing of a door. “Not yet.” He said, dropping his hand. “Keep your eyes closed.” His footsteps receded away from her, and she heard the familiar ‘pop’ of a bottle. “Alright.” His voice came again, closer. “You can open them.”

She could have had hours, and that still wouldn’t have been enough time to take in the room she was in. Candles decorated every surface, emitting a soft, warm glow and lighting up the room. In the center was a bed, bigger than any bed she had seen before, and covered with rose petals. Ellie laughed softly, smiling at him as he poured them a glass of whatever bottle he was holding in his hands. “Could you have been any more cliche?” She asked, beaming. Cliche or not, it was the most meaningful romantic gesture than anyone had done for her.

“Cliche? Expressing my adoration for you in a physical and grand gesture is cliche now?” Thanos asked, quirking an eyebrow. He handed a glass to her, pulling her close to him. “And here I thought I was being romantic.”

“No, no.” She started, breathless all of a sudden. “I love it.”

“If only just once, we deserved to be together. Without fate and flaws and destiny and heroes getting in our way. We deserve to be us.”

The dinner they shared was simple, and Ellie couldn’t help but feel as though there was something looming over them, something that he wasn’t telling her. But she did her best to push the feeling aside and enjoy their time together.

The sun had gone down by the time they had finished eating, and the only light in the room came from the candles. The mood in the room had shifted, too. He was looking at her like he had never truly _seen_ her before, as if to devour her with his eyes. Thanos rose, and her stomach somersaulted.

He held his hand out for her, she took it, rising. His eyes darted towards the bed, and then back to her. “If you’ll have me…” He started, his gaze freely roaming her figure.

“Always.” Ellie responded, worrying her bottom lip.

Thanos’ movements were so meticulous, and painstakingly slow. He brushed her hair aside, fumbling with each of the buttons on the back of her dress. She couldn’t help but feel like a teenager, sneaking out in the middle of the night. Once unbuttoned, the dress pooled on the ground around her feet. She turned to face him, stepping out of the dress, and her shoes.

His touch was gentle, softer than it had ever been. He hadn’t been unnecessarily rough with her, ever, but the way he touched her now brought pinpricks to her skin. He carefully lowered her back onto the bed, and while he removed his shirt, a lump rose in her throat.

She knew what this was.

Ellie fought back the tears while they made love. He lay down next to her, pulling her against him when all was finished.

A rogue tear escaped as they lay there, and she prayed that he had not seen it.

“Dearest,” He wiped the tear off of his cheek. “It is never a good sign when someone cries after sex. Was it something I did?” She took a deep, steadying breath as she shook her head. “Then what troubles you?”

“I didn’t think we’d be here so soon.” She managed to choke out, trying not to lose her already faltering control. “I thought we had more time.”

He sighed, exhaling loudly through his nose. Ellie’s lip quivered, the dam threatening to break with each second of silence that passed between them. He propped himself up on an elbow, cupping her cheek in his other hand. As their eyes locked, her composure finally broke down, and she did not try to hold them back this time.

Thanos pulled her close, holding her shaking frame tight against him. “I know.” Was all he offered, burying his face in her hair. “I never wanted you to hurt.”

⟷

A sound pulled her from her sleep and she stirred, finding the spot next to her empty. Her heart hung heavy as she looked at the dimly lit room. They weren’t on Achernon anymore. After a moment of sleepy consideration, she recognized the hotel as the same one that they stayed at during her father’s funeral. “Thanos?” She called into the dark, shifting to face the door.

There he stood, armor fully in place and gauntlet on his hand. He had his back to her. “Thanos…” She said again, quietly this time. He turned to face her. “Come back to me.” She begged, voice cracking as tears began to wet her cheeks.

He did not smile, he did not make eye contact with her. They stood in the solemn silence for an eternity. He shifted, his armor creaking as his did. Their eyes met for a brief moment, just long enough for him to say, “I love you, Ellie.”

A blue light consumed the room, and once it had faded, she was alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when i say that i cried while writing this chapter, i hope you picture me face down in my bed weeping, because that's exactly what happened. The last 300 or so words were the hardest things i've ever had to write, because i literally had to stop every like 10 or so words and just........ cry. this story means so much to me and these characters have been with me since MArCH of last year. we're almost to the end and it's just so hard to start to say goodbye.


End file.
